Ensuring gender equity in Africa’s agricultural transformation

African governments must put in place proper mechanisms for measuring the effects and impacts of their agricultural policies on women if the continent is to reap the full benefits of its investment in agriculture, according to a group of civil society organizations and non-profits advocating for resilient and sustainable food systems in Africa.

The group, led by Oxfam, African Women’s Development and Communications Network (FEMNET), SDG2 Advocacy Hub, African Kilimanjaro Women Farmers Forum (AKIWOFF) and Action Aid, notes that African women, despite their contribution to food production face significant challenges such as difficulties to claim land ownership, to access credit and to have a say in decision making.

The organizations published today The Roadmap Towards Gender-Transformation in Africa’s New Agri-Food System Strategy (2026-2035), a framework that primarily proposes gender equity measurable indicators and policy steps that ensure women’s participation in decision-making, access and control of productive resources whilst recognizing their intersectional and cultural challenges that plague women in agriculture.

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“It’s shameful that progress remains so slow in addressing the discrimination women face in Africa’s agri-food system, while policies have for long acknowledged these inequalities and recognized women’s critical contribution to food security. This roadmap provides a clear, actionable plan to ensure smallholder women farmers and other marginalized groups are at the heart of the continent’s agricultural transformation,” said Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa.

The framework seeks to inform the results roadmap of the African Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026-2035 adopted by Member States in January 2025. It advocates for the inclusion of measurable gender-focused indicators that will allow policymakers to assess the impact of their policies on women’s education, technology access, cultural barriers, decision-making, access to resources, and participation in agricultural activities.

The framework also underscores the need for CAADP to align with the continent’s vision for gender equality. To do so, it provides recommendations to strengthen CAADP’s alignment with the Maputo Protocol, the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in African and the AU Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

“Sustainable agricultural growth is not just about increasing yields; it’s about empowering communities, enhancing resilience, and ensuring that no one is left behind. The CAADP framework offers a transformative path that connects vision with action, guiding Africa toward food security and prosperity” Susan Otieno, Executive Director, ActionAid Kenya.

Africa is experiencing a food security crisis occasioned by low investment in agriculture, climate shocks – drought and floods-, conflict, and unfavorable land policies that disadvantage women smallholder farmers. Some 163 million people in Africa faced acute food insecurity in 2024.

Women in agriculture are a crucial puzzle piece in addressing the crisis. Women in the Global South could increase their agricultural yield by 20-30 percent if they had the same access to and control over productive resources as men, with the potential to increase agricultural output in the Global South by 2.5-4 percent, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. However, systematic barriers such as flawed financing and land policies continue to limit their opportunities.

‘‘As Africa sets out to redouble efforts through the new African Union’s agriculture strategy, governments must tap into the full potential of our citizenry. Demanding adequate inclusion of African women in the agriculture value chain goes beyond a quest for equality; it makes the continent stand a better chance of achieving her food security targets,’’ said Memory Kachambwa, Executive Director, FEMNET.