Investing in women farmers for improved livelihoods and dairy value chain development in Kapchorwa District
Women in Kapchorwa district play a crucial role in sustaining their families through dairy and agricultural production. They provide most of the farm labour, which they combine with caring for their families, conducting farm and non-farm income-generating activities and contributing to community development initiatives. Increasingly, women are also involved in agricultural businesses. Despite their multiple responsibilities, women continue to face major barriers with regard to access and control of production resources and dairy markets. The majority have not had formal education and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, yet they lack adequate skills in agricultural production and livestock management. Moreover, most women have no ownership rights over land which makes it difficult for them to influence how income from farming activities is used. In 2010 the Kapchorwa Community Development Association (KACODA) entered into a partnership agreement with SNV, in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The two organisations jointly undertook to support KACODA to develop a Dairy Business Hub (DBH) to facilitate the effective marketing of dairy products and provide farm supplies and services needed by dairy farmers, and especially women, in Kapchorwa.