MINAGRI –NUDP: Women, Work and Gender

The World Rural Women’s Day was officially celebrated last Saturday in the Commune of Analavory (District of Miarinarivo – Itasy region). The ceremony was particularly marked by a public awareness campaign concerning the work of rural women to better promote gender equality.

In fact, as 52% of the rural population is women, they constitute the first victims of poverty and are often left behind within society. The Minister of Agriculture, Vyvato Rakotovao, pointed out that, “70% of rural women receive no salary, 30% of them have never attended school, 51% have attended primary school, 11% high school and only 1% could attend higher education. There must be a change, especially when you know that women are a pillar of agricultural production and food security”.

Following a workshop organized by UNDP on finding solutions to the problems of food security which was attended by women representatives from 22 regions in Antanetimboahangy, it was decided that women should integrate rural cooperatives and peasant associations in order to become true entrepreneurs (“agrobusinesswomen”) and, therefore, to improve their production.

UNDP has also initiated visit sessions of potentially exploitable sites for women, including fish farms in the Lake of Anosinimamo and a fruits and vegetables drying center. These women, in their turn, can share what they have acquired once back in their home region.