By Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe
The World Economic Forum’s recent Insight Report, Agritech: Shaping Agriculture in Emerging Economies, Today and Tomorrow, reminds us of a truth too often overlooked: women are the backbone of food security. Globally, the FAO estimates that women make up 43% of the agricultural workforce, while the UN suggests that in developing countries they produce as much as 80% of the food. Yet despite their enormous contribution, women are still sidelined when it comes to decision-making, access to resources, and influence in agriculture.
One of the biggest barriers is land ownership. In many households, men hold the title deeds — and therefore the power. On top of that, as agriculture becomes more digital, women face another hurdle: access to smartphones, apps and agritech tools. Without these, they risk being excluded from the sector’s digital transformation. The WEF argues that this cannot continue. Women must be included, both for fairness and for the future of food.
South Africa’s Story
In South Africa, women are right at the heart of farming. More than 40% of households are headed by women, and in rural areas, they lead over half of agricultural households. They are the ones holding families and food systems together. The importance of women in agriculture has not gone unnoticed by policymakers. South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, put it plainly: “They deserve access to land, water rights, working capital, skills development, infrastructure and reliable markets.”
He added that access to land is only the beginning: “What truly matters is what happens after.” That’s why government programmes such as CASP, Ilima/Letsema, the Agro- Fund and the Smallholder Market Access Tracker (SMAT) are designed to ensure that women who acquire land — whether through redistribution, inheritance or purchase —are not left unsupported. These initiatives provide the tools, networks and opportunities women need to thrive, while expanding agri-hubs, processing nodes and inclusive value chains.
As Steenhuisen explained: “We are working to build inclusive value chains where the woman planting the seed can also have a stake in the packaging, the logistics, the shelf and the price. This is how we build not only inclusive farms, but an inclusive economy.”
Civil society has been stepping up to fill the gap. Research commissioned by the DG Murray Trust (DGMT) showcases inspiring models in KwaZulu-Natal. On the South Coast, women farmers supported by the Siyavuna Abalimi Development Centre market their produce under the brand Kumnandi. Using a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), they sell fresh and processed organic food while keeping certification costs affordable. Siyavuna now works with around 1 500 farmers, mostly women and youth, who are building local businesses and income streams.
In Mtwalume, Thanda has shown what can happen with ongoing mentorship. With 30 full-time mentors supporting women farmers, they’ve created a model where 85% of produce is consumed locally, directly improving household food security. Surplus food is channelled into school feeding schemes and early childhood centres, giving children better nutrition from the ground up. Women farmers are also the guardians of South Africa’s indigenous crops — sorghum, cowpeas, amaranth and spider plant — all of which diversify diets and strengthen resilience against malnutrition.
In a tribute, Steenhuisen captured what women farmers truly mean to South Africa: “You are not only farmers. You are architects of hope. You are custodians of resilience. You are the ones who turn seeds into sustenance, hardship into harvests and dreams into food security. May your hands remain strong. May your vision remain clear. And may the rest of us have the wisdom to walk beside you, and not in your way.”
Whether in South Africa or across the globe, the evidence is clear: when women
farmers are equipped with the right resources, training and market access, they don’t just feed their families — they power local economies and strengthen the future of food. It’s time the digital farming revolution, and the policies that support it, fully recognise women not only as participants, but as leaders, innovators and changemakers.
