Equality in a Post-Pandemic Era: Gender, COVID-19, Agriculture, and Climate Change

May 8, 2020
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Globally, one in three women works in agriculture, which tends to be informal, low paid, and especially vulnerable to shocks. For example, when droughts and floods limit access to safe water, more time and energy must be spent collecting water for sanitation and food production. In Africa, these effects are aggravated by current lockdowns that have restricted movement amidst conflict and locust infestations. This, coupled with their existing care burdens, means women have less time to spend in their own fields or in paid work when a family member falls ill.

For instance, during the 2014-16 West Africa Ebola virus disease outbreak, the movement of goods and people was restricted, limiting women’s ability to cultivate their land and engage in other agricultural activities. As a result, many women defaulted on village savings, further stunting their long-term economic prospects. Additionally, as household incomes decline, the demand for products produced by women also falls. For example, due to COVID-19, women poultry and dairy producers in Uganda are unable to find a market for their eggs, live birds, and milk, intensifying economic stress.