Farmers’ own seed systems are at the heart of food security. These systems are currently under stress due to political, social, economic and environmental changes. Women farmers play key roles in these systems. However, they are often overlooked by researchers and development personnel, policies and programshe examples of Bhutan and South Africa illustrate the key role of women farmers in local climate change adaptation efforts and how these efforts in turn are changing local agro-ecological and socioeconomic landscapes. Yet, research and development programs and projects pay insufficient attention to the successes and challenges of such farmers’ efforts.
The examples of Bhutan and South Africa illustrate the key role of women farmers in local climate change adaptation efforts and how these efforts in turn are changing local agro-ecological and socioeconomic landscapes. Yet, research and development programs and projects pay insufficient attention to the successes and challenges of such farmers’ efforts.
More attention and support is needed to:
- encourage the safeguarding and improvement of local plant species and varieties maintained by smallholder farmers and their communities, recognizing the central role of women
- value and reward farmers’ collective efforts to safeguard and improve agricultural biodiversity and associated cultural values and knowledge
- support farmers technically and financially to organize themselves and strengthen their organizational capacity, taking into consideration the leadership role of women