FAO and UN Women supporting women on Climate Smart Agriculture and Inclusive Value Chains in South Africa

The Food and Agricultural Organisation is rolling out a market support programme for women smallholders farmers under the FAO/UNWomen collaboration on Climate Smart Agriculture and Inclusive Value Chains. The purpose of the training is to equip women in the sector with tools that will facilitate their active participation within agricultural value chains. The training was held in the following districts municipalities in Free State Mangaung, Hxariepand Lejweleputswa Districts manucipalities in Bloemfontein, Thabo Mofutsana District Municipality in Harrismith and Fezile Dabi District Municipality in Sasolburg with support from the provincial Department of Agriculture and the district municipalities.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an innovative approach based on the following three pillars of: sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes; adapt and build resilience of people and agri-food systems to climate change; and reduce or, where possible, avoid GHG emissions. CSA interventions have been implemented successfully around the world. This success is underpinned by the five action points of CSA implementation, as formulated by FAO.

Taking a gender-responsive approach to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) means that the particular needs, priorities, and realities of men and women are recognized and adequately addressed in the design and application of CSA so that both men and women can equally benefit. The gender gap in agriculture affects how men and women access and benefit from CSA. A gender-responsive approach to CSA addresses this gap by recognizing the specific needs and capabilities of women and men.Site-specific CSA practices that are also gender-responsive can lead to improvements in the lives of smallholder farmers, fishers and foresters, as well as more sustainable results.

Climate change demands new approaches to agriculture: farmers’, fishers’ and foresters’ practices will need to change in order to adapt to and mitigate climate change. To make these efforts sustainable it is essential that food, feed and fibre producers see tangible advantages in terms of improved income, livelihoods and reduced costs.

In order to support women’s and men’s equal uptake of and benefit in site-specific CSA practices, gender analysis as well as equal participation and engagement of women and men are the key actions to be taken at the outset of any CSA intervention. In the longer term, broader changes are needed in order to reduce the constraints women and men may face in terms of accessing resources, services and information.

Beyond CSA practices themselves, the institutions involved in climate change adaptation and mitigation will need to partner with women’s community-based organizations to go beyond a focus on agricultural productivity and support income generation, access to savings and loans, nutrition and health services. This could also be a means for tapping into women’s potential as effective innovators capable of identifying and designing new technologies – and adapting existing ones – to meet their needs (Huyer et al., 2015; Waters-Bayers et al., 2015). Lastly, more knowledge is needed on how gender roles shape women’s and men’s lives in engaging with CSA.