Access to agricultural resources and services
Land. Official gender-disaggregated statistics on land ownership are not available. However, surveys of different types of land and regions indicate that women comprise only a small percentage of landowners and that their plots are, on average, about half the size of those of men.
Livestock. While specific data is not available, women are, to a large extent, involved in livestock raising.
Forestry. Data is not available on women's involvement in forestry. Wood still provides a substantial amount of energy for the household, yet access to fuelwood is increasingly difficult and consumes a large share of women's time.
Water. Access to potable water remains limited. Like fuelwood gathering, water-hauling takes a substantial amount of women's time.
Credit. Few women have access to credit and financial services due to many socio-economic factors. The National Bank for Agricultural Credit (CNCA), which has a monopoly in agricultural financing, does not have gender-disaggregated data on credit lending. However, it carried out a pilot study on the constraints that women face in accessing credit. As a result, it has set up a system to extend credit to women for agricultural and handicraft activities, employing women staff and simplified procedures. Over a four year period, the number of women obtaining credit has risen from 400 to 2,000.
Extension services and agricultural training. The Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (MAMVA) has about 1,500 agricultural extensionists working in 300 rural bases. Although the data on extensionists is not gender-disaggregated, it is known that there are few women extension workers. Until the mid-1980s few women were reached by extension services or training. Although a number of training activities are now directed to rural women, only a few women benefit from them. It is estimated that women comprise only 2.7% of the total beneficiaries of extension services.
Agricultural Extension Staff by Position and Gender. 1989
Source: Agricultural Extension and Farm Women in the 1980s, FAO, 1993
