Gender And Women’s Policy Concerns In Agriculture And Rural Livelihoods

As previously stated, women make up the majority of the rural poor and are arguably the most marginalised of the population in these areas. However, through progressive producer clubs and self-help organisations women find that they are able to engage government officials as groups and through the registration of clubs. The government departments working at the local level encourage women to form production and working groups so that they can receive assistance. The IDP in particular calls for communities to register co-operatives and then places them on the municipal database. The DSD houses the registrar of co-operatives, who ensures that these groups are properly organised.

Some of the policy issues that women bring to the attention of officials include: tenure and related issues, access to credit and access to extension services. Land is still owned by men in traditional rural Jozini. Women find it difficult to access land in the irrigation schemes. Working through groups, women are able to approach the traditional authority for land they can use as project land. However, they do not own this land and there is always the feat that it can be taken away from them. Access to inputs and markets are also policy issues that require more attention according to women.