Landless Farmers: The Hidden Inequality Facing Africa’s Women

Women produce up to 80% of food in developing countries and are responsible for half of the world’s food production. In Africa, around 70% of food is produced by women, making them key contributors to small-scale agriculture.

However, despite comprising the majority of smallholder farmers, women face systemic barriers that hinder sustainable growth in Africa’s agricultural food systems.

The Persistent Gender Gap in Agriculture

“Women face challenges with access, use, and ownership of land and land-based resources, preventing full participation in agricultural activities,” explains Stephani Kanyingi, programs manager at GROOTS Kenya.

While African leaders committed to allocating 10% of budgets to agriculture and frameworks like the 2008 Kampala Declaration aimed to accelerate gender equality, significant gaps remain 22 years later.

Cultural and Financial Barriers

Cultural traditions continue preventing women from land ownership, often requiring male approval for agricultural decisions. These land ownership issues frequently lead to gender-based violence cases.

Financial access presents another major hurdle, with women struggling to obtain credit to expand agribusinesses. Unpaid care work further limits their agricultural participation.

Jackeline Makoha, Director in Kenya’s State Department for Gender, notes that while women provide most agricultural labor, benefits typically flow to men who control land titles and bank accounts.

Technology presents another barrier, as women’s lower STEM participation leaves them less equipped to utilize agricultural technologies.

New Framework for Gender-Transformative Agriculture

Oxfam, FEMNET, and other partners have developed The Roadmap Towards Gender-Transformation in Africa’s New Agri-Food System Strategy (2026-2035) to address these inequalities.

“It’s shameful that progress remains slow in addressing discrimination in Africa’s agri-food system,” said Fati N’Zi-Hassane of Oxfam Africa during the framework’s launch.

Key Focus Areas

The framework aligns with CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme) and focuses on:

• Sustainable land and water management
• Rural infrastructure and market access
• Food security and emergency response
• Agricultural research and technology adoption

It emphasizes gender-sensitive policies for land rights, economic empowerment, and addressing climate change impacts on women farmers.

Call to Action

“Without addressing gender inequality in agri-food systems, Africa cannot achieve equitable development,” the framework states, urging measurable gender indicators in CAADP’s new results framework.

The plan aims to center female smallholder farmers in Africa’s agricultural transformation, recognizing their critical yet undervalued role in food systems.