Women, youth key players in agro - NEPAD

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA
NEW Economic Partnership in African Development (NEPAD) says women and young people play a key role in agriculture and its future.
NEPAD chief executive officer Ibrahim Assane Mayaki said in a statement that agriculture in Africa can only accelerate if women are included.
Mr Mayaki said integrating women and reducing social inequalities will also preserve natural resources and the environment.
He also said agriculture has the potential to help in the creation of jobs for the youths.
“Women are the backbone of African rural agriculture and the guardians of the continent’s food security.”
“Women’s formal and informal work plays a crucial role in the economic development of sub-Saharan African countries with more than 64 percent of women working in the agricultural sector,” he said.
And Mr Mayaki said gender should be part and parcel in the formulation of agricultural policies.
He said this will contribute to improved production techniques and having women have better access
to agricultural inputs such as land, fertiliser, credit and education.
“We will see women participating more in decision-making process and better salaried job opportunities,” said Mr Mayaki.
Meanwhile, Mr Mayaki lamented that women have continued being discriminated against in the labour market.
“Their access to land is equally limited and of lower quality than men and are often ignored in rural development projects, which tend to target male-dominated activities,” he said.