October
15 is the “International Day of Rural Women” which recognizes the crucial work
of women and girls in the food systems of the world. This year’s theme
is: “Rural Women Confront the Global Cost of Living Crisis.” For Sri Lanka, it
reflects the fact that the current disruptions in food markets and food
price inflation are worsening gender disparities in food insecurity and
malnutrition. In addition to their low decision-making power, the food and
nutrition crisis is hitting women harder because they bear the brunt of
households’ coping strategies in tough times. Empowering women farmers can
serve as a transformative tool to boost food production. Yet, this hasn’t been
a straightforward solution owing to barriers that constrain women’s
productivity.Women also spend more time on care work
and household management than men, leaving them with less time to devote to
farming, supervising labour and participating in reciprocal labour
groups. Finally, limited access to markets is a binding constraint for
women farmers due to their lower cash reserves, restrictions on mobility, and
potential safety concerns. Women also face greater obstacles in accessing storage
facilities and new digital solutions that could strengthen market links.
Strengthening the linkage to the market, improving transportation, and
information technology services are pivotal. Alongside this, boosting
investments in storage and technology can help mitigate the risks of
post-harvest losses. Providing financial (or other) incentives to directly buy
from women in the supply chain could also be considered.
Many of these interventions that have
been initiated by CSIAP in climatically vulnerable hotspot areas are highly
cost-effective, making them scalable and sustainable solutions to address food
insecurity without adding pressure on limited fiscal space. While these
solutions can directly help boost production, it is equally important to build
resilient food systems, especially in the face of climate change. Fiscal
policies targeted at providing financial and social assistance to women
alongside capacity-building programs and public investments in infrastructure
can increase the adoption of climate-smart crops, livestock, and technologies.
Gender Unit
Project Management Unit
Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project
