| JK: Women vital to agro-sector | Send to a friend |
| Tuesday, 20 September 2011 22:21 |
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Dar es Salaam. Women in developing countries can improve agricultural output if they are allowed to own land and have access to soft loans, President Jakaya Kikwete has said.Speaking in New York yesterday during a debate on women and agriculture, President Kikwete noted that women were the ones doing a lot of farm work in developing and poor countries.The debate, which was chaired by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was organised to discuss and find ways of improving global food security. “Women are the ones who do a lot of work in agriculture but lack power to make decisions as they don’t own land and their financial capacity is very low,” said Mr Kikwete adding: “In order to address this situation, major legal and policy shifts are inevitable to ensure that women own land and have access to soft loans.” He noted that women’s participation in agriculture should be boosted by allowing them to have more power to decide on the use of resources in the sector.Presenting a paper on women and agriculture earlier, Ms Clinton cited President Kikwete as one of the leaders from developing countries who has been insisting on empowering women in agriculture. “This is an economic rather than gender issue which is possible to accomplish as there are leaders in developing countries like Mr Kikwete who have been putting development of agriculture and prioritising women empowerment,” she said. In the mission to improve food security, US has offered $5 million for promoting equity in agriculture as well as empowering women in areas of agricultural, education and research.The move is aimed at making women engagement in agriculture more competent to improve their participation in economic development.Presisdent Kikwete is in New York to attend the United National General Assembly. He is expected to address the General Assembly tomorrow. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
