29/03/2021
Rainforest Alliance
In honor of International Women's Month, we'll be highlighting the essential role women play in creating a sustainable future for all of us. Gender equity is in fact critical to the future of global food production, rural development, and a livable climate.
In developing countries, 43 percent of the farm labor force is female. Despite this, women are often denied access to education, agricultural training programs, and technology, and in many countries they are forbidden from owning property and from decision-making processes that directly affect their lives. On average, women in most countries earn only 60 - 75 percent of men’s wages and are often paid less for the same labor.
Yet studies show that when women gain more economic strength, their families and communities benefit. When women control household income, they are more likely than men to spend money on their families (food, clothing, and health-related items). And when women farmers are given equal access to resources, education, financing, and land rights, they can increase farm yields by 20 to 30 percent.
So many women in our alliance are leaders in sustainable agriculture and leaders for gender equity in farming. These are everyday climate sheroes, transforming their land, communities, and ecosystems for the benefit of future generations.