CABI Blog

Female farmer in Nepal picking crops. Image: CABI

This week, we celebrated Rural Women’s Day (15 October) – an important opportunity to mark women’s valuable contribution to agriculture. The UN states that women make up, on average, over 40% of the agricultural labour force. In some countries in Africa and Asia, this figure is much higher. In Ghana, for example, women produce 70% of all of the country’s food crops.

However, despite their contribution, rural women are much more likely to live in poverty than their male counterparts. Social norms that emphasize women’s domestic responsibilities, limit mobility. They are often paid less and spend more time in unpaid care work. Traditionally, it is much more difficult for rural women to own land or access credit. Furthermore, gender norms keep them from travelling to buy agricultural inputs or sell produce to local markets. This means rural women can struggle to achieve their potential.

But change is taking place. Rural women in Bangladesh and Nepal are breaking social norms and embracing entrepreneurship. Women like Maryam and Devaka have transcended challenges to become rural business leaders. In this blog, we look at their stories of resilience and transformation.

Maryam cultivates change in Bangladesh

As a housewife, Maryam Khatun from Bangladesh used to grapple with financial challenges. Girls living in rural communities often lack access to education. Later in life, this makes it all the more difficult for them to achieve their economic potential. As a consequence of limited access to resources, many rural women like Maryam face gender-based wage disparity. 

However, women are breaking the mould and lifting themselves out of poverty, for example, Maryam. Maryam’s garden was once unused. Yet, with a little ‘seed’ support, she transformed it into a full-scale agricultural business. Under PlantwisePlus, CABI conducted a a baseline study focusing on the enhancement of women’s economic empowerment in the agricultural sector, the baseline study was conducted at Asia level (Pakistan and Bangladesh). Maryam was one of the participants in a focus group discussion that fell under this study. Here, she shared her story. In 2018, she was provided ‘zinc rice’ through extension services. This type of rice – fortified with zinc – can speed up germination and improve crop yields. Maryam was able to sell the seeds at twice the market rate. 

This opportunity not only multiplied her earnings, but also drew her attention to the economic potential of selling specialized agricultural products at the local market. Empowered by her initial success, she took part in seed training programmes. She learned valuable skills about the production, processing and packaging of seeds, broadening her skillset as well as her business acumen.

This opportunity not only multiplied her earnings, but also drew her attention to the economic potential of selling specialized agricultural products at the local market. Empowered by her initial success, she took part in seed training programmes. She learned valuable skills about the production, processing and packaging of seeds, broadening her skillset as well as her business acumen.

Maryam Khatun from Bangladesh. Image: CABI

The seeds of a business are born

She obtained a business license and accessed other farming inputs such as mustard seeds, which led to the birth of her business, Rabi Seeds. Her diverse collection of high-quality crop seeds started to gain attention in local markets. Rabi Seeds became synonymous with quality and reliability. Maryam’s venture did more than cultivate seeds; it cultivated hope and prosperity. Her successful foray into the world of agriculture shaped her family’s future. From constructing new houses, to purchasing agricultural land, Maryam’s success manifested into tangible results. It also enabled her to send her child to school to gain a good education. 

Moreover, selling her superior seeds helped other farmers to increase their crop yields and profitability. She shared her knowledge in seed cultivation with smallholders, giving them the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship. Throughout her community, her dedication to quality seed production earned her widespread recognition and even agricultural awards. 

Sharing her success with rural women

Maryam now plans to scale Rabi Seeds even further, making it a beacon for agricultural excellence and women’s empowerment. She aims to employ more women, fostering an environment of economic empowerment and gender equality in her community. She also hopes to collaborate with financial institutions to boost local farmers’ profits and meet the community’s nutritional needs through the use of quality seeds. Maryam envisions a future where her enterprise serves as the cornerstone for a sustainable, thriving agricultural community.

A sweet venture for Devaka in Nepal

Getting into business as a woman living in a rural community is not always straightforward. Agricultural support organizations can focus on specific subjects, preferring to partner exclusively with women in a particular area. Securing finances can often deter women from taking the first steps towards setting up a business, so it stalls before it has begun. Idea incubation can be challenging. A viable business plan for farm produce can often be elusive, leaving potential entrepreneurs at a crossroads without a map. 

However, on the outskirts of a village in Nepal, Devaka Shrestha saw potential in untapped resources. CABI met with Devaka in Bhaktapur in March 2023 when conducting a PlantwisePlus gender analysis study. She was one of the participants of the focus group discussions organized under the study. 

She charted a course not just for herself but for the female farmers around her. She attended an enterprise training session where she realized that the very fruits and vegetables that flourished in her neighbours’ fields could be transformed into candy – a treat that was growing in demand throughout the urban centres of Nepal.

Devaka Shrestha from Nepal. Image: CABI

Boosting opportunities for rural women

The family-run Champak Candy Industry, led by Devaka, now employs six women full-time and more during peak seasons. She created and now leads the Jagaruk Farmers Group, which holds farmer field schools for the community. Devaka currently serves as President of the Women Entrepreneur Committee under the Bhaktapur Association of Cottage and Small Industries.

Her story shows how a vision that came during a training session has led to a thriving small business and greater employment and empowerment opportunities for rural women. Devaka also helped PlantwisePlus to organize further gender focus group discussions in the community. 

PlantwisePlus – prioritizing women’s empowerment

PlantwisePlus tackles the challenges facing smallholder production. Delivered through gender-sensitive and climate-resilient approaches, the programme focuses on women’s empowerment. This is critical as women form a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, but often face inequality. Wage disparity, limited access to resources and societal norms hinder their economic potential. 

However, stories like Maryam’s and Devaka’s show how rural women can overcome these challenges. They are taking an entrepreneurial approach to transform their lives and communities, and become role models for others in the process. Supporting rural women in agriculture is important. With access to knowledge, resources and training, these women can confidently build their business ventures, transforming not only their lives, but also the lives of others around them. 


Additional information

Relevant stories

Gender equality and youth inclusion: ten focus areas for impact

Overcoming social norms to boost women farmers’ access to agricultural advisory services

PlantwisePlus

PlantwisePlus aims to reach 75 million smallholder farmers in low and lower-middle income countries, providing them with access to the knowledge and skills they need to improve their production practices.

This will be achieved by supporting countries to predictprevent, and prepare for plant health threats in the face of a changing climate. This ensures that smallholder farmers reduce their crop losses and produce more and safer food through sustainable crop production practices.

Main image

Female farmer in Nepal picking crops. Credit: CABI

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