Preamble:
We, the women small-scale farmer leaders from 30 districts of Uganda, gathered for the 6th Women in Agriculture (WiA) Conference 2024 from 14th to 15th October 2024 in Mbale City, Eastern Uganda. The 6th Women in Agriculture (WiA) Conference, themed “Cultivating Change: Building Collaborative Women Voices Against Social Exclusion, Poverty, and Hunger,” has culminated in a powerful declaration emphasizing the critical role of women in agriculture and rural development. The main WiA Conference and other multiple Women in Agriculture activities in over 10 districts brought together over 450 women and girls alongside government officials and partners to develop strategies for building collaborative women's voices in the agricultural sector.
We emphasized the importance of empowering women as a fundamental strategy to combat climate change, poverty, and hunger. We also acknowledged the significant contributions of rural women to food sovereignty and agricultural development while recognizing the ongoing challenges they face, such as limited access to resources, markets, and decision-making processes.
Uniquely, the 6th Women in Agriculture (WiA) Conference coincided with the International Day of Rural Women, underscoring the need for recognition and support for the vital role rural women play in sustaining families and communities.
We commended the government for its efforts to promote gender equity in agriculture, including initiatives aimed at improving access to land, finance, and technology for women. However, we also urged the government to intensify its commitment to addressing the barriers that rural women encounter, such as cultural briefs, unequal control over productive assets, and exclusion from critical decision-making forums.
We acknowledged the urgency of creating equitable and resilient food systems and called attention to the disproportionate impact of hunger and food insecurity on women farmers, who are essential to feeding families and communities. We stressed that achieving food security for all is unattainable without empowering women and ensuring their participation in agricultural value chains.
Call to action:
The conference concluded with a series of calls to action aimed at fostering gender-responsive agricultural policies. These include:
Strengthening Gender-Responsive Agricultural Policies: The government is urged to implement policies that ensure equal access to resources for women, addressing their specific needs, including healthcare and education.
Sensitization of Citizens on Women’s Rights: There is a call for increased awareness and education regarding women's rights, particularly targeting men and boys through community engagement and media campaigns.
Investing in Women-Led Agricultural Initiatives: Financial institutions and donors are encouraged to prioritize investments in women-led initiatives, recognizing their potential to drive innovation and improve livelihoods.
Reducing Social Exclusion: Efforts must be made to eliminate discriminatory practices that hinder women's access to markets and decision-making spaces, ensuring inclusive policies that support all women.
Promoting Agroecology and Climate Resilience: The declaration calls for the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices that empower women to adapt to climate change and protect biodiversity.
Celebrating Women’s Contributions: There is a strong call for the global community and national government to recognize and celebrate the contributions of rural women to agricultural development and food sovereignty.
Fostering Solidarity and Collaboration: The conference emphasized the importance of solidarity among women from diverse backgrounds, committing to collaborative efforts to advance women’s rights and combat hunger.
Developing Women’s National Development Plan Structures: The government is urged to create grassroots structures within the National Development Plan IV that prioritize women’s voices and ensure their consultation.
Conclusion:
Heading into the 7th Women in Agriculture (WiA) Conference 2025, the ESAFF Women Forum will focus on the development of a comprehensive ESAFF Uganda Women Agenda, which will give direction for engagement on different issues including climate justice, resource inequality, and poverty, among others.
The declaration from the 6th WiA Conference in 2024 serves as a rallying cry for collective action to advance the rights and opportunities of women in agriculture. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to advocating for gender equity, social inclusion, climate justice, and food security, emphasizing that together they can cultivate change and create a more just and sustainable agricultural future.
The members of the ESAFF Women Forum appreciated the technical and financial support provided by different friends and partners that made the WiA Conference an impactful event. The declaration is a testament to the resilience and determination of women in agriculture, who are poised to lead the way in eradicating social exclusion and hunger.
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