gender roles in African culture
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Gender roles in African culture and its impact on agriculture

Although women make up a significant part of Africa’s agricultural workforce, often estimated to be at least half, their vital contributions to the continent’s agricultural output are frequently overlooked and undervalued. This underestimation is largely a consequence of deeply ingrained gender roles within African cultures and limited access to crucial resources, including capital, education, and land ownership.

In Africa, agriculture is often shaped by gender roles that dictate a clear division of labour between men and women. Unlike other continents, farm work in Africa is frequently segregated by gender, reflecting deep-seated cultural and institutional practices. Women’s labour share in African agriculture has been estimated to range between 60 and 80%. This is particularly noteworthy considering that women constitute approximately 50% of the population and also bear the primary responsibility for a wide range of domestic duties. Women are mostly involved in subsistence farming rather than commercial agribusiness.

This article examines how gender roles in African culture influence agricultural productivity across the continent, highlighting regional labour patterns, land ownership disparities, and the challenges women face in accessing resources.

Gender roles and regional labour patterns

In East Africa (excluding Ethiopia and Djibouti) and North Africa, women are more prevalent in agriculture, outnumbering men by ~20% and ~10%, respectively.

In contrast, West Africa, particularly Nigeria and Benin, has a surplus of male farmers, with over 25 million more male farmers than female. Nigeria accounts for 60% of this surplus, and in Benin, the ratio of male to female farmers is three to one. 

The influence of customary laws regarding land ownership in Nigeria and Benin is significant. For many ethnic groups in these countries, such as the Fon, Igbo, and Tiv, land inheritance is patrilineal, meaning land passes from father to eldest son or another living male relative. This system is highly discriminatory against women, who are often excluded from land ownership. This exclusion inherently restricts their economic independence and limits their participation in agriculture, perpetuating gender inequalities within these societies. It also reinforces the belief that women’s primary role is domestic rather than economic, perpetuating the marginalisation of women from commercial agricultural and economic activity.

Similarly, in northern Nigeria, groups like the Hausa and Fulani follow sharia law, which mandates that women should inherit half as much as male siblings. This practice creates a significant disparity in land ownership between men and women. For instance, in the northern Nigerian state of Jigawa, 13 times as many men own land as women.

In contrast, in southwest Nigeria, Yoruba communities practice a more inclusive customary law. In cases where a man dies intestate, his estate is divided equally among his wives, who then distribute it equally among their children, regardless of gender. Additionally, Yoruba estate owners can declare both legitimate and illegitimate children as heirs. This approach has resulted in a higher percentage of female landowners in southwest Nigeria, where women own 20% more land than men. 

Gendered crop cultivation and decision-making 

Gender roles in African culture also influence which crops women are permitted to cultivate. For instance, in Igboland, southeast Nigeria, yams are designated as a “male crop,” and women are forbidden from planting them. Since yams hold sacred status in Igbo culture, their cultivation is prioritised, leaving women to plant “female” crops, such as cassava, cocoyam, and pumpkins, only after the yam harvest is complete.

This delay significantly reduces the intensity and productivity of Igbo women’s agricultural work and is further compounded by their limited access to prime agricultural land. These disparities also apply to other intensive crops, such as coffee and cocoa, and remain common throughout coastal West Africa.

In addition to this, decision-making regarding crop selection and land use typically rests with male landowners, further restricting women’s autonomy. Even when women contribute the majority of the labour, they often have little to no control over what is planted or how the land is used. This lack of decision-making power further limits their potential contributions and agricultural productivity.

Institutional biases and access to resources 

The pervasive influence of patriarchal institutions in African agriculture significantly hinders women’s productivity. Women are often excluded from farming cooperatives, which provide crucial access to training, technology, and support. Without these resources, female farmers are less likely to adopt best practices or use agricultural inputs, such as fertilisers and pesticides, leading to lower yields and diminished outputs. Educational disparities further compound the problem. Many women in rural areas have limited access to formal education, without which women are less inclined to embrace innovative farming methods or adopt new technologies. This places them at a significant disadvantage in an increasingly competitive agricultural sector.

Similarly, women’s access to credit and other financial services is often restricted by discriminatory lending practices and entrenched power dynamics within financial institutions. In many cases, gender roles in African culture require women to defer to male relatives during negotiations, effectively excluding them from fully participating in economic activities, even if they have the financial means to do so. This creates a significant barrier for women when attempting to buy or lease land. Many women also lack the collateral required to secure loans, as they do not own land or other valuable assets. This prevents them from investing in their farms, further exacerbating their financial exclusion and widening the productivity gap between male and female farmers.

Beyond economic challenges, gender roles in African culture also impose significant social and health burdens on women. Women are often expected to balance farm work with domestic responsibilities, including childcare, cooking, and domestic work. This additional burden can lead to physical exhaustion and limit the time women can dedicate to farming. Limited access to healthcare for women compounds the impact of these demands, contributing to poorer health outcomes and reduced agricultural productivity.

Steps for a solution 

Addressing and redefining agricultural gender roles in African culture will require a multi-pronged approach that takes actionable steps towards closing the pay and production gaps while still accounting for cultural traditions and customary laws throughout the region.

Community-based education programs to educate rural communities about the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment can play a transformative role in shifting cultural attitudes and breaking down long-standing biases. Additionally, gender-sensitive education should be integrated into school curricula to challenge stereotypes and promote gender equality.

Legal and policy reforms will be key to improving women’s rights, particularly in the areas of inheritance and land ownership. Amending or enforcing laws that grant women equal inheritance and property rights and integrating them with customary practices should help ensure that women are not disadvantaged by traditional norms.

Equally crucial is facilitating women’s financial inclusion by removing barriers to credit and creating gender-sensitive lending policies. At the same time, the development of gender-sensitive business practices can improve women’s market access, technology adoption, and managerial skills, enabling them to build and scale successful agricultural enterprises. This includes providing targeted training on financial literacy, business planning, and agricultural best practices, while also establishing women-focused agricultural cooperatives and networks that can help pool resources and strengthen collective bargaining power.

Finally, meaningful progress will also depend on addressing the health and social challenges that limit women’s capacity to farm effectively. Investing in accessible healthcare, maternal services, and childcare infrastructure can significantly lessen the African women’s workload and increase their ability to engage in professional training and commercial agriculture. Furthermore, success in addressing gender inequalities in African agriculture could serve as a model for tackling similar challenges in other sectors and regions. 

Bridging the gap 

Gender roles in African culture have a profound impact on shaping the continent’s agricultural landscape. Patriarchal customs, institutional barriers, and cultural norms limit women’s access to land, resources, and decision-making power, resulting in reduced agricultural productivity. Addressing these inequalities will be essential for promoting both economic growth and social equity in Africa’s agricultural sector.

By implementing inclusive policies, improving access to education, technology, and finance, and challenging entrenched gender norms, African countries can narrow the gender productivity gap and build a more resilient agricultural sector—ultimately increasing household incomes and strengthening regional food security.

At Farrelly Mitchell, we work with governments, NGOs, and the private sector to prioritise women’s empowerment and gender equality in their strategies, policies, and interventions. Our gender equality consultants provide tailored advice and support to address the unique challenges faced by women in African agriculture. We conduct detailed gender impact assessments, design targeted intervention programs, and help organisations implement practical solutions that bridge the gender productivity gap. Through data-driven analysis and deep understanding of regional customs, we help our clients create sustainable, culturally appropriate solutions that empower female farmers while respecting community values. To find out more about how we can advance gender equality in your organisation, contact our team today.

Author

Morgan

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