Ensuring equitable resource allocation and gender sensitive policies in supporting food production and security in Southern Africa

Journal Title: Scientific Journal of Biological Sciences - Year 2014, Vol 3, Issue 8

Abstract

Gender disparities in resource allocation and non gender responsive policies are important constraint to increasing food production and security in Southern Africa. The discussion attempt to explore the role of equitable resource allocation and development of gender sensitive policies and their implications for improving food production and security in Southern Africa. Gender responsive policies are meant to catalyze a change process for ending gender discrimination and securing women’s access to key productive resources. It is believed that without specific attention to gender issues in food production and security strategies, unknowingly policy may reinforce inequalities between women and men, and may even increase productive resources imbalances. It must be emphasized that addressing gender resource allocation disparities and development of gender sensitive policies is an integral part of enabling women to guarantee their families’—and their own—well-being. Little attention has been paid to the differential impacts of resource allocation disparities and development of gender sensitive policies on food production and security, or to which delivery mechanisms may be more effective in addressing women needs and concerns in food production and security. It is assumed that traditional food production policies are not gender-responsive and typically do not consult women who are the majority end-users, improved varieties and technologies do not take into account women’s needs, preferences, and resources, as a result the high rate of failure of intervention food production and security strategies. However, policy makers should be aware that development and implementation of gender responsive policies and equitable gender resource allocation are likely to be mistaken for violation of social norms or adversely affect gender relations within the household, leading to less successful adoption and potential backlash against women. Thus, interventions that seek to remove obstacles in gender resource allocation need to consider the trade-offs inherent in challenging and respecting gender norms.

Authors and Affiliations

N. Assan| Zimbabwe Open University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture Management, Bulawayo Region, Box 3550, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Keywords

Related Articles

Post intervention assessment of long lasting insecticde nets (LLINs) distributed in Kano metropolis, Kano state, Nigeria

Kano state hasdistributed about 4,137,464 Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Net (LLINs) in2009 being one of the main malaria vector control strategy developed by theNigeria Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) which is in li...

Evaluation of the response of Clibanarius africanus (Decapoda: Paguridae) to crude oil in static bioassay

The acute toxicity of Nigeria Bonny light crude oil against hermit crab, Cliabanarius africanus of a tidal creek, Eastern Obolo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria was investigated in the laboratory under static bioassay. The...

The genus Enterococcus spp., a perspective from a focus on health to its biotechnological application

The enterococci are a bacteria group that can be found in several environments, such as water, plants, animals and gastrointestinal tract in humans and animals. These microorganisms have entered into the spotlight for as...

Study of genetic variation and phenetic relationships in some vulnerable taxa from Indian sundarbans following RAPD marker analysis

The mangrove ecosystem plays an important role in maintaining coastal ecological balance and is also one of the most highly productive and dynamic ecosystems to mankind, providing food, livelihood and ecological security...

Variations in proximate and minerals composition of wild and cultivated clarias gariepinus (burchell, 1822)

The proximateand minerals composition of wild and farmed Clarias gariepinus was studied toidentify nutritional difference that might induced by habitat change. Thirty sixindividual fish from both wild and hatchery-raised...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP1109
  • DOI 10.14196/sjbs.v3i8.1769
  • Views 423
  • Downloads 24

How To Cite

N. Assan (2014). Ensuring equitable resource allocation and gender sensitive policies in supporting food production and security in Southern Africa. Scientific Journal of Biological Sciences, 3(8), 77-83. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-1109