October
15, the International Day of Rural Women, highlights the indispensable role
played by rural women and girls in sustaining global food systems and rural
livelihoods. The theme for 2022, “Rural Women Confront the Global Cost of
Living Crisis,” is particularly relevant to Sri Lanka, where economic shocks,
food market disruptions, and rising food prices have intensified existing
gender inequalities in food and nutrition security.In Sri Lanka, rural women are central to agricultural production, household nutrition, and community resilience. However, the current food and nutrition crisis has disproportionately affected women. Limited decision-making power within households and communities, combined with increasing food insecurity, has placed a heavier burden on women, who are often responsible for managing household food consumption and adopting coping strategies during periods of scarcity. As food prices rise, women frequently reduce their own food intake to ensure the wellbeing of their families, increasing their vulnerability to malnutrition.
Empowering
women farmers has long been recognized as a powerful strategy to enhance
agricultural productivity and food availability. Yet, this empowerment is
constrained by multiple structural barriers. Women farmers often have less
access to productive resources, inputs, extension services, and finance, which
limits their ability to fully contribute to food production. In addition, women
shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care work and household
responsibilities, leaving them with limited time for farming activities,
supervising labour, or participating in collective and reciprocal labour
arrangements that are vital in rural agriculture.
Market
access remains another critical challenge. Women farmers face constraints due
to limited cash reserves, restricted mobility, and safety concerns when
traveling to markets. These barriers are compounded by inadequate access to
storage facilities and emerging digital solutions that could otherwise
strengthen market linkages, improve price information, and reduce post-harvest
losses. Strengthening market connections through improved transportation,
storage infrastructure, and information and communication technology services
is therefore essential. Encouraging investments in storage and post-harvest
technologies, as well as providing incentives for buyers to source directly
from women producers, can significantly enhance women’s participation and earnings
across agricultural value chains.
Recognizing these challenges, the Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project (CSIAP) has initiated targeted interventions in climatically vulnerable hotspot areas to empower women farmers. These initiatives are designed to be highly cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable, ensuring that food insecurity can be addressed without placing additional strain on limited fiscal resources. By supporting women’s access to markets, technologies, and climate-smart practices, CSIAP contributes not only to increased agricultural productivity but also to improved household nutrition and livelihoods.
Beyond immediate productivity gains, building resilient food systems is critical, particularly in the context of climate change. Gender-responsive fiscal policies, combined with social protection measures, capacity-building programmes, and public investments in rural infrastructure, can significantly enhance women’s ability to adopt climate-smart crops, livestock systems, and technologies. Empowering rural women is therefore not only a matter of equity but a strategic investment in Sri Lanka’s food security, nutrition outcomes, and long-term climate resilience.
Gender Unit
Project Management Unit
Climate Smart Irrigated Agriculture Project
