The crucial role of women in agri sector

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
April 10, 2013

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – The progress in the farming sector will not be realized without the involvement of women, Dr. Wilson Cerbito, Department of Agriculture Technical Director for Research and Regulations in Eastern Visayas, said, emphasized the significant contribution of women in agriculture development.

Dr. Cerbito made the pronouncement during the two-day Program Implementation Review, Planning and Budgeting Workshop of the Gender and Development (GAD) Technical Working Group held on April 4-5, 2013 at Patio Victoria, San Jose, Tacloban City.

“If we try to think more deeply, women actually have great influence not only in their respective households, but also in terms of decision-making and strategy implementation so that agricultural enterprises can be more productive and profitable. In fact, many of our women become efficient hands-on farmers and agri-entrepreneurs,” Director Cerbito stated.

RTD Cerbito added that men and women should be given equal recognition, opportunity and access to resources especially in food production. Thus, he suggested that the GAD TWG should make a clear plan for a more effective implementation of GAD-responsive activities in the region.

Dr. Cerbito cited the Food Agricultural Organization study which showed that women provide up to 90% of labor force for rice cultivation in Southeast Asia. Women in rural areas produce half of the world's food production.

Among the developing countries in the world, FAO estimates that almost half of the total agriculture labor force in the developing countries consists of women, Director Cerbito added. Thus it is safe to assume that, indeed, women are also major producers of main crops.

In the Philippines, of the 48.93 M labor force participation rate in August 2002, half are women. They are mostly in sales, agriculture and services sectors, as per the National Statistics Office survey, Director Cerbito said.

Women, on top of being mothers and wives, are also farmers in their own right, Director Cerbito underscored. Rural women fulfill many responsibilities at farm and at home. Some of them even act as farm managers, while others are food processors and traders.

As to the present GAD Program supervision, RTD Cerbito commended the active leadership of Ms Eva T. Adora, DA-8’s GAD Focal Person, for her initiative to empower women associations in the region by not only involving them in various activities of the DA but by conducting several fora especially designed to address their concerns.

“Through our GAD Focal Person, women’s associations are also encouraged to have their groups registered in order for them to avail of the various programs and services of DA,” RTD Cerbito said.

Meanwhile, during the same activity, Ms Ma. Aurora Teresita W. Tabada, Regional GAD Coordinator of the Visayas Consortium for Agriculture and Resource Program (ViCARP) at the Visayas State University (VSU), Baybay City, Leyte, discussed the highlights of the Magna Carta of Women, the harmonized GAD guidelines, and the core elements of gender-responsive programs and projects.

Ms Tabada said that gender equality can best be advocated through mainstreaming of GAD-related strategies including funding initiatives with the DA banner programs.