Women in agriculture key to food security

The stereotype of a farmer in North America is a man, but around the world, women play a big role in farming. Erica Lindroth, an entomology graduate student, said at a seminar Tuesday that women and their contributions are largely overlooked in agriculture. And, she said, they need to be given more consideration.

"Women are farmers," Lindroth said. "We need to address their concerns in agriculture."

In the Caribbean, women contribute 80 percent to agricultural production. In Africa, it's 60 percent. Because women play such an important part in farming, they are the key to food security, which is the availability of food, access to food and ability to use food.

"Women's work is largely undervalued," Lindroth said.

Women farmers tend small plots, don't own the land and are often subsistence farmers. They work to put food on the table while the men earn a paycheck. But the paycheck is seen as more important than the women's work.

"Agriculture has been something of a boy's club in the past," Lindroth said. "Men don't understand women's work, and women aren't heard."

Women's suffrage in the United States occurred only 100 years ago, and women in other parts of the world are still struggling for equality, she said. Women have access to land, goats, chickens and feed crops, but they hardly have any control.

"Women need secure access to land," Lindroth said. "When you empower women to own property and make decisions, food security goes up."

Carrie Graham, a senior biology major, and Jami Swenson, a senior biological sciences major, both attended the lecture for a biology seminar.

"This was based on literary research while other (seminars) were based on lab research," Swenson said.

They both agreed that this seminar was different from lectures they've attended in the past.

"I think it's a little odd for a biology seminar to allow us to come to this, but I think it's important in any setting, and it needs to be addressed," Graham said.

Swenson said it's important to understand the idea of equality worldwide and to help improve the situation.

But the topic has a particular relevance in Nebraska with agriculture as a main industry.

"I think in this part of the U.S., farming is important, and I think any time you talk about women in any industry, it will be relevant," Graham said.

nicolestaton@dailynebraskan,com