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Agricultural industry

Urgent Shift Needed from Policy to Implementation in Gender-Responsive Agriculture

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Madam Winnie Osulah, Lead-Gender Integration at the Agricultural Research Institute (AGRA), has emphasized the need for African governments to implement gender-responsive agricultural policies with precision. Despite many countries having drafted such policies, most remain outdated or unimplemented, creating a significant gap between policy intentions and real impact on women farmers. This is evident in Ghana, where the AGRA's Gender Mainstreaming in Agriculture Scorecard has shown that while the country has strong policies in place, its capacity to implement them effectively is lacking.

Key Takeaways:

  • Madam Osulah called for a shift from drafting to implementing gender-responsive agricultural policies, emphasizing the need for targeted capacity-building and monitoring systems to track policy impact on women farmers.
  • The AGRA's Gender Mainstreaming in Agriculture Scorecard found that Ghana scored 72% on enabling environment, 56% on capacity to implement, and 60% on government commitment, with a threshold of 75% or above for a country to be considered gender-responsive.
  • Women make up approximately 80% of Africa's agricultural labor force, yet their needs are frequently overlooked in policy and programming, with Osulah stating that ignoring their needs means Europe failing to unlock the full potential of African food systems.
  • A step-by-step approach is needed to address the weakest area in a country's score, followed by phased implementation with targeted audiences, including women smallholder farmers.
  • Practical investments in training, institutional strengthening, and monitoring systems are necessary to track policy impact on women's lives.
  • The barriers facing women in agriculture can only be dismantled through a unified and amplified voice, with Mrs. Faustina Acheampong, Director of the Department of Gender, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, calling for continued commitment to creating spaces for women leadership in the agriculture sector.

Statistics:

  • 80% of Africa's agricultural labor force is made up of women (Madam Osulah).
  • Ghana scored 72% on enabling environment, 56% on capacity to implement, and 60% on government commitment in the AGRA's Gender Mainstreaming in Agriculture Scorecard (Madam Osulah).
  • 75% is the threshold for a country to be considered gender-responsive (Madam Osulah).
  • Women smallholder farmers are the target audience for phased implementation (Madam Osulah).

Sources:

  • Ghana News Agency, 29 October 2025.
  • Madam Winnie Osulah, Lead-Gender Integration, AGRA.
  • Mrs. Faustina Acheampong, Director, Department of Gender, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP).

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