Women Farmers: Driving Change in Food, Land, and Water Systems
Written by: Commissioner Mfundo Nomvungu
The Commission for Gender Equality in the Western Cape, led by Commissioner Mfundo Nomvungu, took part in the Gender in Food, Land, and Water Systems Conference 2025, calling for urgent action to empower women in agriculture.
Despite their essential contributions to agriculture, women farmworkers continue to face significant disadvantages. Many remain in casual, low-paid, and insecure roles, often denied basic protections such as maternity leave, pensions, and safe working conditions. These challenges are compounded by systemic barriers, including entrenched patriarchy, racial and economic inequalities, which restrict women’s access to land, leadership opportunities, and financial resources.
Yet, collective action has proven effective in shifting power dynamics. Cooperatives, stokvels, and community groups provide women with strengthened bargaining power, improved access to markets, and reduced risks, demonstrating the importance of solidarity and community-based initiatives. Equally critical is equipping women with knowledge of their rights, labour protections, and safe practices, enabling them to advocate for themselves and assert their entitlements.
The lived experiences of women farmers, ranging from unsafe transport to farms, inadequate sanitation, exposure to hazardous chemicals, and exclusion from social protections highlight the urgent need for policies that truly reflect their realities. Ensuring that national policies and investments are informed by these experiences is essential for creating an equitable, safe, and sustainable agricultural sector. The CGE emphasized that real transformation requires coordinated efforts from law reform and enforcement to grassroots education and advocacy. By putting women farmers at the centre of decision-making, South Africa can create an equitable, safe, and sustainable agricultural sector.