Empower 40 rural women to support a household.

Report on rural Women Empowerment in Farming 15-06-2024

1. Introduction

Women empowerment in farming is a crucial aspect of agricultural development, especially in rural areas in Hoima district where Hope for Children’s Health Foundation operates where women play significant roles in both household and agricultural activities. This report examines the current status, challenges, and opportunities related to women's empowerment in farming in this district, emphasizing their contributions and the strategies needed to enhance their participation and leadership in the agricultural sector.

2. Importance of Women in Farming

Women are vital to agricultural production and rural livelihoods. Their contributions include:

• Women provide a significant portion of the labor in smallholder farming, particularly in planting, weeding, and harvesting.
• In addition to farming, women often manage households, ensuring food security and nutrition.
• Women's involvement in farm management and decision-making can enhance productivity and sustainability.

3. Challenges Faced by rural Women in Farming in the district.

Despite their contributions, women in farming are facing several challenges:

• Women have less access to land, credit, and agricultural inputs compared to men.
• Lower levels of education and access to agricultural training hinder their ability to adopt new technologies.
• Gender norms and discrimination have restricted women's participation in farming activities and decision-making.
• Balancing farm work with household responsibilities has been demanding, limiting their time and efficiency in farming.
• Women have faced difficulties in accessing markets, resulting in lower income from their agricultural products.

4. Our Approach/Intervention

As Hope for Children Health Foundation, we have implemented the following strategies to empower Women in Farming.

We have so far impacted 34 rural women form January 2024 to date and we hope to reach 75 by December 2024 and this has been achieved through;

• Providing tailored financial products and services can help women invest in farming activities.
• Ensuring women's access to quality seeds, fertilizers, and farming technology hence boosting productivity.

• Offering training programs focused on modern farming techniques and business skills.
• Developed gender-sensitive extension services providing women with necessary knowledge and support.
• Promoting gender equality and challenging discriminatory norms through community awareness programs.

• Established4 women's groups and networks to provide support and share knowledge and experiences.

We thank our donors for their support during the implementation of these activities.

Rural women farming in rural village in Hoima

Prepared by

John Mwesigwa-Project Leader (Hope for Children’s Health Foundation)

• Report on rural Women Empowerment in Farming (PDF)