E-Agriculture

Gender, ICTs and Rural Livelihoods

Gender, ICTs and Rural Livelihoods

This section is dedicated to the critical role of women in agriculture, and the positive benefits that ICTs can have in the livelihoods of rural women.

For ICTs to benefit women in agricultural production and to challenge existing gender imbalances in rural livelihoods, it is necessary to understand women’s status and the gender roles and responsibilities in the society. It is also important to have an understanding of the multiple gender dimensions which impact on accessing and using ICTs. Rural women are less likely to prioritize ICTs in their daily lives as they have less time and less comfort in using ICT based services.

If gender is missed in rural ICT4D initiatives then an opportunity to improve the socio-economic conditions of women, who are the largest and most active component of the rural population, is missed. Government support and promotion of rural infrastructure and equal access to and use of ICTs among women and men is critical. Policy makers need to include a gender lens on every policy that affects access to and use of ICTs in rural communities.

Through this section, you can locate materials which look at key opportunities and challenges of ICT interventions in the agricultural value chain with a special focus on the most beneficial interventions in rural areas.

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