Women in Agriculture in Afghanistan

The greater recognition of women’s intensive participation in the agriculture and labour economies across the globe has been the subject of discussion and policy review in many countries around the world, including Afghanistan. This briefing paper looks at some of the issues that impede or enhance the recognition and enhancement of women’s contributions to the agricultural economy of Afghanistan. It presents an overview of women’s activities in farming, livestock, horticulture, and farming-related entrepreneurial activities before looking at some of the ways in which women’s economic participation in agriculture has been targeted by specific projects and programmes. In doing so, this paper addresses five specific issues pertinent to women’s participation in the agricultural economy: women’s gendered solidarity and collectivisation, the need to target women for skills development, women as contributing family workers, women’s lack of access to assets, and the need for gendered statistics.