Milk marketing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Azage Tegegne Gender and Urban Agriculture MAGAZINE NUMBER 12, MEI 2004 NUMBER 12, Urban agriculture can have positive and/or negative Gender can be defined as the socio-cultural consequences for men and women. This will depend on construction of roles and relationships the situation and conditions. Data gathered on urban between men and women. Gender analysis agriculture demonstrates that it generally has a positive involves the examination of their roles, impact on household food security, and thus will be responsibilities, and social status in relation beneficial to women as they most often are responsible. to local cultural perceptions of masculinity This issue of UA Magazine explores exploring how urban and femininity that delineate access to agriculture relates to existing gender dynamics. opportunities and resources in a particular context (Hovorka, 1998). The notion of nitially, the focus of those working with gender has been accepted throughout urban agriculture was on the need for development activities, but is not always I recognition of urban agriculture and on understood in the same way. A focus on putting it on the policy agenda. Now, as power relationships between men and many municipalities have recognised this women, for instance, is very significant for importance, attention has shifted to the different situations in urban agriculture. integration of urban agriculture in Gender can therefore not be taken for municipal development, that many granted, but should be used as an essential different stakeholders are involved as well analytical tool in unravelling the as the need for gender to be addressed in complexities of urban agricultural activities. analysis and implementation. Regardless of Editorial whether men or women predominate in WHY DO MEN AND WOMEN urban agriculture, in this issue it is shown ENGAGE IN URBAN AGRICULTURE? that this differs per country, it is important Millions of urban farmers have managed to to focus research, policies and action produce food in towns and cities without www.ruaf.org planning on both men and women, and to any official recognition or support. Urban emphasise differences between them, agriculture has many positive acknowledging the inherent diversity. These characteristics: gendered insights will help shape ❖ It enhances household food security appropriate and relevant interventions. given that produce is less subject to _________________ Therefore, this UA Magazine attempts to market fluctuations. This is largely Joanna Wilbers, ETC RUAF find answers to questions such as “If women’s responsibility. Alice Hovorka, University of women engage in urban agriculture more ❖ It generates additional income from sales Guelph, Canada than men, does this improve their situation? of surpluses and money saved on food René van Veenhuizen, ETC Why or why not?” and “If improvement of expenditures, which can be used for RUAF the situation is necessary, how can it be other purposes. This may help women achieved for both men and women?”. gain more independence, but also be very URBAN AGRICULTURE attractive for others operating in the inadequacy of their living conditions, such farming, such as in Ghana) or focus more informal sector like young urban as the supply of food, water, health care on generating a cash income (for instance if migrants as shown in the cases from and employment”. Satisfying these, does the products are not considered safe for the Nigeria, Uganda and Ghana. not imply changes in gender relations. household, as in Uganda). Clearly these ❖ It motivates men and women to go Strategic needs “are related to the division considerations vary according to place and beyond subsistence farming and engage of labour, power and control by the time, depending on the specific context. in related activities like small-scale food genders, and can include issues such as processing and marketing or more legal rights, eradication of household The following issues can be considered profitable urban agriculture micro- violence, equal wages”. Satisfying the those of key importance within the field of enterprises. strategic needs by improving gender gender and urban agriculture. ❖ It can be done in combination with other relations helps women achieve greater tasks and close to the home, which is equality and brings about shifts in the ACCESS AND CONTROL OF especially important to women. existing roles. Practical and strategic needs RESOURCES ❖ It only requires relatively low level of are of course inter-related, and Two related issues can be distinguished: capital, technology and inputs attainable involvement in urban agriculture can access to and control over productive and affordable for poor households, contribute to satisfying both needs. resources (including land, credit, labour young urban migrants and women with and information), as well as access to and limited education and resources (see the There is a general notion that more women control over the benefits of production. The cases on Uganda and Nigeria, than men are active in urban agriculture, latter is less prominent in this issue of UA highlighting this issue). although this issue shows that in several Magazine. ❖ It stimulates the use of indigenous (West African) countries this is not the case. practices. The predominance of women urban While both women and men face farmers in other parts of Africa is mostly constraints regarding access to land, Engagement of urban households in urban ascribed to the fact that women still bear women are further disadvantaged because agriculture can generally be divided into the main responsibility for household they traditionally have less access to and two scenarios. First, a family moves from a sustenance and well-being. Women also control over land than their male rural to an urban area, bringing along tend to have lower educational status than counterparts. Men tend to have the first knowledge of rural practice, or the family men and therefore more difficulties in choice of any available vacant plots of land, simply keeps farming on its own land while finding formal wage employment (Hovorka which leaves women with low quality (see the nearby city expands and takes over the 2003). Men and women may differ strongly both articles on Uganda and Nigeria), less formerly rural setting. Second, urban in their preferences and priorities in secure plots of land, or plots that are households already established in the city relation to their main roles and located at a considerable distance from get involved in agriculture by choice or by responsibilities, for example regarding their homes. The physical time and effort need. The articles on Nepal and India production goals (enough food for involved in travel is then considerable and (Kolkata) describe the first kind of situation consumption versus surplus products to therefore proves to be a significant and how the roles of men and women sell at the market), preferred location of constraint for women, especially the elderly change. It is important to understand plots (women with young children often or those with young children. Farming in exactly what changes occur and how they prefer to work close to the home), preferred remote and insecure places can also come into being. The articles on Argentina mode of production (single versus multiple increase the risk for women farmers (as and Peru, describe how urban households cropping), etc. expressed by women in India and Nigeria turn to agriculture, and how men and in this issue). Thus it is important to women take on different roles. In both Especially married women with children acknowledge here that increasing access to cases the work in urban agriculture of the benefit from involvement in urban land as such may not solve the problem of women was eventually valued well, but the agriculture. It can be done close to the inequitable access to urban land between burden on the women in the household did home, little cash is needed, and it combines women and men (Hovorka 1998). not change. well with the prime responsibilities of women. Married women may have other There are a number of external factors that Palacios (2003), following Moser, suggests reasons for being engaged in urban can have a strong effect on gender relations differentiating between practical and agriculture than just improving their in urban agriculture. Inequitable access to strategic interests/needs. Practical needs families’ food supply. For instance, it is land and other natural resources, labour, are “immediate needs related to the within the bounds of what they are information, etc., between men and culturally expected (and allowed) to do and women is highly influenced by structures An urban dairy farmer having access to their own generated or processes at the macro level. Socio- source of income strengthens their economic conditions clearly are at the root positions in intra-household conflicts. By of the involvement of women (or lack growing their own food, women basically thereof) in urban agriculture, for example tend to focus on saving money on family social and cultural norms or the risk cash expenditures, but for various reasons women are prepared or able to take in they may prefer to become active in different economic situations (illustrated in another informal urban sector (like the articles on West Africa). Cultural ideas marketing in order to avoid the risks of determine which roles men and women Azage Tegegne 2 UA-Magazine In this issue play and which responsibilities within the with regard to their knowledge of, for 06 Gendered Urban Agriculture in Greater household both have, or should have. This example, the cultivation of certain crops Gaborone, Botswana is highlighted in the Ghana article. The and animals, the application of certain 08 Urban Agriculture in Rosario: an opportu- effect of existing inheritance customs and cultural practices and the use of certain nity for gender equality the laws and regulations on land very often technologies. Limited information on and 10 Our Daily Realities: urban organic home- disadvantage women.