WOMEN AND AGRICULTURE

Agricultural underdevelopment and poverty have persisted in most developing nations over the years and recent studies have shown this to be the resultant effect of extreme neglect of the female gender in core agricultural activities.
This argument might be considered relatively insignificant by some, but surveys from various sources have confirmed that forty-six percent or over of the labour force in agriculture in African nations comprise the female gender. Their involvement is mostly in the rural areas where they have displayed a great level of commitment by maintaining their production rate.
The level of their capability and input is however limited and restricted to local consumption as their efforts aren't supplemented and or encouraged towards attaining a higher level of mass satisfaction. For instance, loan acquisitions prove seemingly impossible as once again financial institutions doubt their repayment capabilities mostly due to the fact that they posses little or no properties to put forth as collaterals. Land and fixed properties of the sort mostly belong to the male gender in most parts of Africa.
Livestock is a promising area of involvement of the women, as concerns agriculture as they are hugely involved both in the urban areas as well. Women own poultries, pig farms, goats as well; employing labour to extract meat and eggs for consumption and to oversee reproduction to guarantee the growth and sustainance of their establishment. Fish farming is also one of their strong areas as the women occupants of riverine areas have gone beyond just harvesting and processing fishes for consumption, to establishing secondary outlets (ponds) where fishes are reared for consumption.
The potential transformation of agriculture in a senario of increased female participation can't be overemphasized. The governments of African nations should take the next step towards agricultural revolution by recognizing the already decent efforts of the female gender in the agricultural process and setting up platforms to inspire these women towards a swift eradication of poverty through an upturn in agricultural progress.