Women key to farming but face market barriers

Women make significant contributions to agricultural production and post-harvest activities in Bangladesh, but their access to wider markets remains limited, said Tasnuva Zaman, national gender specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Bangladesh.

“Women are generally not allowed to go to markets to sell their products because selling is often considered a man’s responsibility. Although women can earn an income, they often do not have the authority to decide independently how that money is spent,” she said at a discussion yesterday.

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The discussion on Green Roots Women’s Farm Labs, organised by the FAO, was held at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council in Dhaka.

Tasnuva described a clear division of labour between women and men in the project areas. Women mainly prepare seeds, care for seedlings, plant, weed, harvest, process and store crops. They also raise poultry and livestock, including chickens, ducks, goats and cows, and are primarily responsible for agricultural production at home.

Men also take part in farming, but some tasks are considered specifically men’s responsibilities, she said. These include buying fertiliser, pesticides, seeds and agricultural equipment.

Men also maintain relationships with traders, negotiate with buyers and transport agricultural products to wholesale markets. “When larger investments are needed, men generally decide how much to invest and where to use the money,” she said.

MOBILITY, MARKET ACCESS REMAIN MAJOR BARRIERS

Tasnuva identified mobility as one of the two major barriers to women’s participation in business. “Social norms often prevent women from going to markets or communicating with male stakeholders or service providers outside their families,” she said.

As a result, women have limited opportunities to sell products directly and build independent sources of income.

Even when women sell some products, they are expected to inform their partners about the income, she added.

The FAO’s Green Roots Women’s Farm Labs is a territorial incubation initiative for women-led green micro-businesses. It aims to develop, test and gradually refine a new incubation model designed specifically for women entrepreneurs working at the energy-agriculture nexus.

The project builds on the principles of Farmer Field Schools, a group-based learning approach that helps farmers improve their knowledge and skills through practical training and shared experiences, to strengthen local capacities. It also uses existing Farmer Field School networks to provide co-creation and on-demand support to women micro-entrepreneurs.

The Green Roots Labs focuses on rural, farm-based, women-led micro-enterprises that are often left out of existing incubation programmes. It will work in four areas: green technology; business development, market linkages and finance; green products, services and markets; and coalitions, partnerships and networks.

The model is being piloted in Bangladesh this year.

Dia Sanou, deputy FAO representative in Bangladesh, said rural women have not had enough access to the support and opportunities needed to develop their businesses.

Women-led micro-businesses continue to face various barriers, including limited access to suitable services, finance, technology, markets and other forms of support.

He stressed the need for an incubation model that meets the specific needs of rural women and provides early, tailored and local support. The Green Roots Labs aims to fill these gaps by connecting women entrepreneurs with relevant services, technologies, financing opportunities, markets and other support organisations.

Mohammad Emdadul Haque, deputy director at the Department of Agricultural Marketing, said women are involved throughout the agricultural value chain, from cultivation and harvesting to processing and storage.

However, many women are hesitant to become entrepreneurs. Agriculture is challenging for everyone because it is highly vulnerable to environmental conditions, particularly during production and storage, he said.

Rita Bramma, president of Sara Bangla Krishak Society, said increasing production alone is not enough to improve farmers’ livelihoods. Farmers need to be organised and connected to markets to improve their livelihoods and strengthen their position.

Verdiana Biagioni Gazzoli, gender specialist at the FAO’s Office of Innovation, said the initiative is based on interviews and field observations to understand existing activities and identify ways to support women-led micro-businesses as they move towards green enterprises.

She said the initiative builds on the momentum of the International Year of Women Farmers and focuses on coordinating the services needed to support women-led micro-businesses and help them develop into green enterprises.