WOMEN’S CONTRIBUTION TO AFRICA’S AGRICULTURE – SUBSISTENCE TO TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT

Agriculture is an inevitable aspect of human life because it is the primary source of food and some natural resources. In this natural world, its relevance will remain because human lives depend on agriculture for survival. All manner of persons regardless of their gender, race, age and location are involved in agriculture. The African continent is no exception as more than 60 per cent of people in sub-Saharan Africa are smallholder farmers.  Women, despite their marginalization over the past years, cannot be overlooked in Africa because their contribution to the labour of food production both for household consumption and sales is between 60 to 80 per cent.

From the statistics, the contribution of women in Africa’s agricultural production is undoubtedly significant. However, more of these women are engaged in small-scale farming. Small-scale farming means low technology characterized by the use of less sophisticated or traditional tools. Efforts are being made by governmental, and non-governmental agencies to advance agriculture, making science and technology dominant in its production. Despite the slow pace of this advancement, some individuals including women have made great advancements in self and structural development. A notable area of advancement of agriculture concerning science and technology is the development of software to ensure efficiency in the agriculture production line from the farms even to the end-users. Typical software encompasses record-keeping, livestock management, and producer-buyer communication. With these in place and widely used, more challenges of which post-harvest losses are a notable one will be mitigated.

Post-harvest loss is a great canker affecting agricultural production in Africa. Losses are usually the result of market and transport issues. That is, no market to purchase the products on time, and poor road networks lead to no or insufficient vehicles for conveying goods. Certainly, there are market demands for most agricultural goods but the issue lies with how to easily get the market by the producers. It is not much of a surprise as statistics in 2016 estimated that between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of agricultural produce in Africa are lost after harvest. Narrowing it to fruits and vegetables, losses are greater as above 50percent are estimated to be lost. Losses mean loss of resources including land, energy, water, and inputs.

Edna Sawe, a Ghanaian software developer and an entrepreneur beneficiary of Kosmos Innovative Center has found a solution to mitigate post-harvest losses. Edna is also a product of MEST and the Chief Technology Officer of AgroSeal. Edna together with her team has made advancements using mobile phone tools to connect producers of fruits and vegetables with local transport and packaging providers. Thus, producers will harvest on time, get ready local vehicles for transportation, and meet packaging providers for ready market and sales. The advancement will go a long way to reduce the 50percent of fruits and vegetable losses when applied by all in Africa

This feat attained by a woman is worthy of applauds. Many women like Edna Sawe are out there with untapped resources of business knowledge and technology skills. The relegation of women to household work has once again been proven as backward by women excelling in agricultural science and technology. Indeed, influences from women of mastery like Edna has indisputably served as eye-openers affirming women’s significance.