LOCALIZING INTERNATIONAL GENDER POLICY TO IMPROVE WOMEN’S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN EAST AND WEST AFRICA.

Abstract

In Africa, women play an essential role in the agricultural sector. They produce about 70% of the food that is consumed locally. However, women face more constraints than men in accessing productive resources such as land, financial services, information and extension services and education. The voices of women are often excluded from conversations on agricultural production, policies programs, among others. The aim of the study was to understand how localizing international gender policies such as Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) and agricultural practices in East and West Africa impact gender equality and food security in the region. I interviewed 12 key informants from 5 Canadian organizations and 6 local organizations in East and West Africa. The findings indicate that international gender policy such as the FIAP has helped women take more ownership of the projects being implemented in the community. However, social and cultural norms make implementation more difficult.