Overcoming gender barriers to tomato farming in Pakistan
Tomato is an important crop in Pakistan – every year, the country produces 4.2 million tonnes of tomatoes. Growing them can be labour intensive. But research shows that tomato production has the potential to generate good incomes for rural smallholders. This includes incomes for women farmers. In Pakistan, women account for over 60% of active…
How community conversations help to close the gender gap in Burundi
What are community conversations and how are they closing the gender gap in Burundi’s farming sector? The gender gap in agriculture is a big challenge. In low- and middle-income countries, women make up an average of 43% of the agricultural labour force. In Burundi, of all the time spent on agricultural work, women make up…
Embracing equity for women farmers
Women farmers make up around 43% of the agricultural labour force and produce over half of all food grown worldwide. Yet, when you picture a farmer, are they a woman? This year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘embrace equity’ and its aim is to get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren’t enough. People…
Women farmers in Pakistan aren’t realising their potential – here’s why
Women farmers in Pakistan are finding it difficult to access agricultural support. The needs of male farmers dominate most advisory services and socio-cultural set up due to restricted mobility of women farmers. This is a challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. And it contributes to a gender gap in agricultural productivity. Women-managed farms are…
PlantwisePlus most read blogs of 2022
As 2022 draws to a close, we have crunched the numbers to present the most-read articles on the PlantwisePlus Blog this year. Plus a few firm favourites. Articles on the PlantwisePlus tools and plant doctor training across the globe were some of the most read during 2022, as were those covering the work Plantwise continues…
Supporting women farmers by boosting the skills of agricultural advisory services
Agricultural advisory services can benefit farmers in low- and middle-income countries. They can help farmers to learn new techniques, increase their crop yields and improve their livelihoods. They can even deliver advice about global challenges like climate change.
5 ways that youth agricultural training benefits young people in Uganda
Youth agricultural training is bringing hope to young people in Uganda. Here, youth unemployment is a significant crisis. Around 70% of unemployed people are youths. There are ample job opportunities in the agriculture sector. However, many youths lack the skills they need to secure careers in farming.
Assessing gender and rural advisory services in Ghana
In Ghana, as in many other developing countries, women face challenges in accessing extension advisory services. Most services are geared to the needs of male farmers. On top of other challenges faced by women farmers, this lack of access only extends the gender gap in agricultural productivity in the global South.
How Plantwise plant clinics supported a women-led cottage industry in India
In 2003, twelve women in Chokkalingam Puddur village started a local biocontrol agent production unit. The Ellya Thendral women self-help group produced and marketed five different types of fungal biopesticides. Their cottage industry received a boost when a Plantwise plant clinic was established in their village. CABI’s Plantwise programme partnered with M S Swaminathan Research…
Innovation on the ground can be critical for gender integration
Gender-based social norms are major barriers to women accessing agricultural extension advice and adopting new practices. Although women make up 43% of the global agricultural labour force, just how gender-equitable are extension services like Plantwise?