TIME TO RECOGNISE EFFORTS OF THE RURAL WOMAN (PAGE 54, NOV 15, 2010)

SINCE time immemorial, women have been innovative. They have always found new solutions to the problems they face to ensure the survival of humanity. Rural women have had to confront countless challenges and their successes lie in their ability to overcome substantial obstacles.
October 15, each year is celebrated as “World Rural Women’s Day.” The annual celebration is considered a practical way of obtaining recognition and support for the multiple roles that rural women play.
Women in rural areas play the role of farmers and small entrepreneurs. In fact, they are the key in food production and food security, and generally they contribute immensely to the well-being of their families and the total development of rural economies.
To mark the day in the Upper East Region, Farmers Organisation Network in Ghana (FONG), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in collaboration with other national farmers’ organisations in Ghana converged at Zuarungu in the Bolgatanga Municipality.
As part of the celebration, they held a forum to discus challenges facing women and what support the government could offer to ameliorate their sufferings.
Thirteen women’s groups from the Talensi-Nabdam District and seven women’s groups from the Bolgatanga Municipality deliberated on the theme: “Building a sustainable future for rural women.”
The leader of FONG in charge of the Northern Zone, Madam Grace Anafo said apart from drawing attention to the plight of rural women, the organisation was also to deliberate on how they could be supported in view of the unique role they played in society.
A set of recommendations adopted after the event called on the government to create an enabling environment that would fully develop and sustain women’s capacities in rural areas.
They also called for a more balanced representation of women and men in decision making in order to give greater attention to women’s needs at all levels.
The recommendations also advocated that the status of women farmers should be legally recognised and protected to facilitate their work. “Gender-friendly policies are needed to ensure that women are included in policy dialogues, policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation at the district, regional, national, and international levels.”
Other recommendations included the need for provision of infrastructure in rural areas, such as water, schools, and irrigation systems, health services and other public services to enhance the livelihoods of women farmers and their families.
According to the women, female farmers were largely involved in maintaining eco-systems through the sustainable management of natural resources, landscape or biodiversity hence there was the need to remunerate them with incentives to enable them to progress towards sustainability and enhance agricultural production.
The recommendations called for access to financial services by women farmers at affordable rates to provide an environment that would encourage investment and sustainable production.
Karen Serres, President of the International Federation of Agriculture Producers (IFAPO) Committee of Women Farmers noted in a statement to mark the day, the necessity to support and encourage women farmers was a crucial issue that concerned everybody because it was directly linked to the challenge of feeding the world’s growing population by increasing production while considering climate change and environmental protection.
“Today, more than ever before, humanity needs a balanced and fair approach regarding rural women and the role they play in worldwide challenge,” Karen Serres stated.