20th June, 2009

African Rural Women Farmers call on Head of States to increase investment in Agriculture

African Rural women farmers from Burundi, Burkina Faso, Mali and Malawi are participating in the Gender Pre- Summit meeting in Addis Ababa Ethiopia convened by the Women, Gender and Development Directorate of the Africa Union and UNDP. The purpose is to strategise on what they want heads of states and government in Africa to prioritize during the forth coming African Union Summit to be held in Libya. In collaboration with Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) Coalition, the women have called on African heads of states to honour their commitment to increase investment in agriculture to 10% of their overall annual budgets.

Bangou Marimpoa rural farmer from Burkina Faso said increased investment in agriculture must include targeted investment in small scale farming, and in particular providing incentives to women small-scale farmers, building the entrepreneurship capacity of women to engage in agri-business and grow cash crops, and ensuring that State investments in social protections are not sacrificed.

Other recommendations made by the rural women and members of the Solidarity for African Women’s Rights Coalition (SOAWR Coalition) in the meeting include:

* The need for state parties of the AU to take measures to increase women’s land ownership and access to credit facilities, agricultural inputs, information and technology which is in line with the provisions of the Protocol on African Women’s Rights.

* The urgent need to take measures to achieve gender parity in decision making bodies at all levels in order to guarantee increased participation of women in decision making. Women continue to be underrepresented in decision-making positions in governments, civil society and the private sector, and as such their needs, issues and constraints are not sufficiently reflected in policy-making processes and laws impacting their lives.

The 13th Ordinary Summit of the African Union Assembly to be held in Libya next month will take place at a time when millions of Africans face the threat of starvation and famine, insecurity leading to massive displacement of people from the land which is their mainstay and source of livelihood. The theme for this summit is “Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security,” could not have come at better time than this one. Africa is essentially an agricultural society with a largely rural population. In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture accounts for approximately 30% of the continent’s GDP, and women are the backbone of the agricultural workforce, responsible for 60-80% of food production for consumption and sale1.

Today the world is undergoing a three pronged crises - dire food insecurity, high fuel prices and an ever-expanding financial and economic crisis. According to the World Food Programme (WFP) the number of the new and urgently hungry in 2009 is increasing by an average of 4 million a week worldwide. In sub-Saharan Africa, recent food price increases have sunk an additional 28 million Africans into poverty. This paints a grim picture for African women who as we know are most disproportionately affected by poverty.

The grassroots women in collaboration with the SOAWR Coalition have also called on African leaders in particular those of Kenya, Uganda, Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia and Bostwana to lead by example and accelerate the ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa before the 13th Summit of Heads of States and Governments scheduled to take place in Sirte in Libya on the 1st – 3rd of July 2009.

For Further Information Contact:
Carlyn Hambuba Communication Officer:
Tel: + (254)20.2712971/2 or + (254)20 2341516/7 (Wireless)
Cell: + (254)725.766932 [email][email protected]
OR Naisola Likimani + 251 910 980 669 (Addis Ababa Ethiopia) [email][email protected]

To talk to the Executive Director of FEMNET call Norah Matovu Winyi on 254 20 271 2973/ 254 729 571 544. You can also contact Ms. Faiza Mohamed the Regional Director of Equality Now which hosts the Secretariat for the SOAWR Coalition on 254 20 271 9913/ 271 9832.