Women in Agriculture have been urged to embrace innovative farming technologies and practices to increase resilience of the farming systems.

Speaking in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Public Service and Gender Margaret Kobia said that if women embrace those technologies and practices, they will be able to overcome climate shocks that have adverse effects on the incomes that farmers derive from their work.

“Climate change is one of the major shocks that has adverse effects on the incomes that farmers are able to derive from their work. The capacities of women to adopt agricultural technologies that help overcome these shocks are vital as we go into the future.”

In Kenya, women account for 75 percent of the labor force in smallholder agriculture, manage 40 percent of small farms, and play a major role in food preparation and storage.

However, according to the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture strategy 2017-2026, women in agriculture are vulnerable due to limited education and limited access to other natural resources that would facilitate their adaption.

“The low adaptive capacity by women and financial vulnerability reduces resilience of the farming systems in general. If women in agriculture become more adoptive they will be able to build climate resilience.”

She revealed that the government is willing to integrate some of these practices such as Climate Smart Agriculture in provision of affordable credits and grants by the three semi-autonomous government agencies in her ministry namely Women Enterprise Fund, Uwezo Fund and National Government Affirmative Action Fund.  

“Technology has the transformative power to change lives. If women embrace technology their lives will be improved and their roles in agribusiness will become more sustainable,” she adds.

Research shows that even though women are the main producers of food, women in agriculture own fewer assets and have access to less land, fewer inputs, and fewer financial and extension services than men, limiting their rights, potential, and well-being, as well as their capacities.

Compounded by the insufficient public and private investment in building community resilience, women are at risk of being trapped in a downward spiral as they confront climate change and its related impacts on agriculture.