The Kenya Editors Guild has called for urgent policy reforms and increased investment to empower women in agriculture, noting that their full participation is critical to Kenya’s economic growth and national food security.
The call was made during a high level forum convened in Nairobi to mark International Women’s Week 2026 under the theme “Women Cultivating Opportunity”.
The event brought together stakeholders from academia, research institutions, civil society and the media to examine the challenges faced by women farmers and explore solutions that can unlock their economic potential.
Speaking during the forum, Zubeida Kananu, President of the Kenya Editors Guild, highlighted the often overlooked role women play in sustaining Kenya’s agricultural economy. She shared a personal story about her late mother, whose small food business supported farmers, educated her children and nourished the community despite facing numerous barriers.
Kananu noted that “Women remain the backbone of Kenya’s food systems, yet many continue to face obstacles such as limited land ownership, restricted access to credit and limited exposure to modern agricultural technologies”
Experts who spoke during the forum emphasized that empowering women farmers is not only a social justice issue but also an economic imperative that can significantly boost productivity and household incomes.
Delivering a keynote presentation, Prof. Mary Mbithi from the University of Nairobi noted that women account for between 70 and 80 percent of the agricultural labor force in Kenya. However, they represent only about 33 percent of formal wage employment in the sector and receive less than 10 percent of agricultural credit.
She observed that structural barriers including cultural norms, limited land ownership rights and inadequate access to finance continue to hinder women from fully participating in agricultural value chains.
Prof. Mbithi emphasized that closing the gender gap in agriculture would significantly improve productivity, strengthen food security and contribute to inclusive economic growth.
Also addressing the forum, Dr. Lucy Wakiaga, Associate Research Scientist at the African Population and Health Research Center, underscored the role of education and policy reforms in addressing gender inequality in agriculture.
Dr. Wakiaga pointed to persistent disparities in education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, which limit women’s ability to adopt new agricultural technologies and participate in higher value agricultural markets.
Participants also discussed the disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work carried by women, which often limits their ability to engage fully in income generating activities. The forum called for investments in social infrastructure such as childcare services and labour saving technologies to ease this burden.
The Kenya Editors Guild also emphasized the importance of partnerships between government, research institutions, development partners and the private sector to support innovations that respond to the needs of women farmers.
The forum concluded with a strong call to place women at the center of agricultural development strategies, noting that empowering women farmers remains one of the most powerful investments Kenya can make toward sustainable economic growth and resilient food systems.
About The Author
