“Towards greater access to land and water”
A MESSAGE FROM VICTORIA KAKOKO SEBAGEREKA
PRESIDENT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS
Dear friends, women farmers from all over the world. Once again we have come together to seize this great opportunity to have our roles and needs as women farmers recognised. In this international year of water, let’s make the World Rural Women’s Day 2003 a great celebration “towards greater access to land and water” for rural women throughout the world.
National and international political commitment is essential in order to ensure both the equitable and sustainable allocation of natural resources and the recognition of women farmers as professionals within the agricultural world. This is what we should demand of our political decision makers on this World Day that is devoted to us.
Having access to natural, economic and productive resources is the basis of any agricultural activity. However, depending on the cultural and traditional norms of the country under consideration, rural women have very different opportunities to access and control the resources that are essential for their agricultural production and for improvement of productivity.
The number of farms managed by women is constantly increasing. Farmers’ wives find themselves with the responsibility for managing the farm, without neglecting their family responsibilities. As they fulfil the functions of a farm manager, why not give these women the same rights of access to resources as their male counterparts?
It is high time women farmers were guaranteed long term access to, and control of, land and water resources. This way, the precious human resource they represent for the agricultural sector, for sustainable development and for conservation of the environment can then be optimised.
I therefore invite you, rural women and women farmers throughout the world, to celebrate this day that is in your honour within your families, your communities and your nations.
Today you should all challenge your own public authorities and the international community to provide you with a guarantee for a secure land system and solid rights to the water necessary for an agriculture of quality which generates profits.
I send, both personally and on behalf of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, my very best wishes for success on this day.
May this celebration be equal to the enormous contribution you make to agriculture!