A Study On The Role Of Rural Women In Agriculture Development In Malawi

The realisation that women contribute much to the agriculture sector cannot be overlooked. The sector has experienced declines in production levels over the past years. Efforts to revitalise the sector have been initiated but perhaps the strategies have not been efficient enough. This study explores the significance of empowering smallholder rural women in this sector and highlights the constraints that they face. Drawing on the gender theory with emphasis on feminist approach, this thesis explores how the ideology and practices of male dominance thought and behaviour have marginalised women in Malawi. This thesis uses gender theory to make an analysis of patriarchy and how Malawian women continue to be marginalized in Agriculture and how feminism and women empowerment may be a source of empowerment for rural Malawian Women.Malawi is a small and poor agrarian country with a dualistic agriculture sector where smallholder farmers and big estate farmers live side by side; smallholders take up the largest part in the agriculture sector and also in the Malawian population. Among the smallholders themselves women make up the largest part of smallholder farmers.This study found that the plight of women farmers in Malawi is they face problems in access to land and limited land rights; they face many obstacles in taking part in market oriented agriculture, they face problems in gaining access to agricultural inputs, they have low education levels which affects their role in agriculture, and also they are greatly affected by the HIV pandemic.The reasons behind these problems are mainly insufficient Policies, Lack of capital of finances, Economies of Scale,low education Levels, Traditional customs and lack of added value or diversity of crops.To address these problems the study presented some suggestions such as emphasizing the significance of land rights and the empowerment of women, improving women’s contribution to the family level decision making process, raise the use efficiency of women to the agricultural investment, raise the level of female education, introduction of gender sensitive agriculture extension services.