From the Data Room March 2010

Women Participation in Agricultural Activities (COMACO)

In Sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture contributes about 17% of the total GDP and in Zambia it contributed about 27% in 2000. Not only does the sector provide food it also provides employment opportunities for the rural population. Hence the agricultural sector has the potential in enhancing economic development.

      
Research has also shown that women can contribute enormously to both rural and economic development. In Zambia, rural women in particular play a pivotal role in the agricultural sector as they provide more than 60% of the labor force necessary in producing food for both household consumption and for commercial purposes.

The COMACO model is one unique model that provides opportunities for both men and women to excel in the sector. Efforts have been made to train women in conservation farming. However, a lot still needs to be done to encourage more women to participate in sustainable agriculture which COMACO advocates, especially that women constitute a significant slice of the overall pie.
 

Of the total population sample of 17,079 for the East COMACO, 9520 were women. This clearly indicates that more women were involved in crop production than men even if women received slightly less money than men, in terms of income from their crop produce as shown below:

As we strive to promote sustainable development through market expansion and also by way of equipping the farmers with sustainable livelihood skills, women should be encouraged to participate. COMACO has shown much determination in this regard and has taken it upon itself to lead by example.