Women's economic empowerment linked to inclusive market systems: Experts

Sustainable agriculture is not possible without the inclusion of women farmers, and their economic empowerment depends on access to climate-resilient technologies, affordable agricultural credit, training, and inclusive market systems, experts said in a roundtable discussion in Dhaka yesterday.

The round table highlighted insights from the ongoing Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) approach of GEnder incluSive Market systems for Improved Nutrition (GESMIN) project by World Vision Bangladesh and implemented by Unnayan Sangha - Bangladesh, funded by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). The five-year initiative, active in Jamalpur District since July 2023, focuses on integrating women more equitably into agricultural and market systems.

The roundtable titled "Inclusive Market Systems for WEE: Success, Opportunities, and Collaboration" was held at The Business Standard seminar hall, organised by MR Consultants Ltd and TBS. The event, moderated by Saleem Ahmed, associate editor of The Business Standard, brought together policymakers, stakeholders, private sector leaders, gender specialists, development actors, and grassroots voices to discuss strategies for promoting women's economic empowerment, particularly in rural and agricultural contexts.

On behalf of MR Consultants Ltd. research team Dr. Tania Haque from Dhaka University presented the key notes and the findings from 'Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) Strategy Assessment and Curriculum Adaptation".

The experts called for the nationwide expansion of the GESMIN project and sustainable measures for women's leadership and nutritional development through integrated government and private sector cooperation.

Speakers emphasized the importance of 'Men care' module, public-private partnerships (PPPs) in fostering World Vison's WEE Curriculum adaptation for households level, religious leaders, Public sector and Private sectors capacity building for gender-responsive training, and supportive policies. The speakers agreed that the 'MenCare' approach should be incorporated.

Syed Abu Siam Zulkarnain, deputy project director of the Smallholder Agricultural Competitiveness Project, said, "Homestead vegetable gardens and off-farm diversification have boosted women's self-reliance, and 'Nari Stand' has given them recognition in the market." He also highlighted a 70% improvement in the "Minimum Diet Diversity for Women' index."

Md Shakhawat Hossain, deputy general manager of Petrochem (Bangladesh) Ltd, cautioned that the inclusion of smallholder farmers, including women, would not be sustainable without ensuring easy access to inputs, addressing lack of climate knowledge, and removing financial barriers.

Mahmud Hasan Prince, managing director of Rainbow Bangladesh, said, "We demonstrate new technologies and products at Utthan Boithok so that women farmers can learn close to home and take the lead in their families." He also mentioned providing hands-on training for retailers and distributors.

Farhana Haq, deputy director of the Field Service Wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said, "If the project extends beyond the four limited upazilas, more women leaders will emerge, and their market participation will increase." To ensure sustainability, he called for an activity-based monitoring framework.

Nasiba Aktar, a gender specialist at PARTNER programme of the DAE, said, "The 'Krishak Seba Card' (Farmer Service Card), offering collateral-free loans, and the "Digital Learning Experience-9" initiative, aiming to create 60% women entrepreneurs, will strengthen women's economic foundation."

Muhammad Nizam Uddin, deputy director of the Islamic Foundation, said around 80,000 imams across the country have received training in poultry farming and agricultural work. "We are also training them in a "men care" module; by respecting religious symbols, they can play a significant role in women's development."

Chandan Z Gomes, senior director of Operations and Programme Quality at World Vision Bangladesh, "Sustainable economic empowerment for rural women is not possible without new technological training, easy access to agricultural credit, and market-friendly infrastructure. Strengthening public-private partnerships and involving religious leaders will further aid this effort."