women and food sovereignty: voices of rural women of the south

The document argues that rural women in the Global South face severe gender-based inequality, including restricted land access and economic exploitation, which is exacerbated by a corporate-led agribusiness model. It highlights how this model causes environmental destruction and social displacement, disproportionately affecting women who are often the primary preservers of biodiversity and traditional seeds. Through testimonies from regions such as Nigeria, Indonesia, and Latin America, the report details the 'work overload' women face as they manage both social reproduction and agricultural production, often without recognition or fair pay. It advocates for 'food sovereignty'—the right of peoples to control their own seeds, lands, and food production—as a political and practical alternative to the industrial model. The report concludes that rural women are leading resistance through agro-ecological practices, political self-organisation, and the preservation of ancestral knowledge to ensure the sustainability of human life.

• The corporate-led agribusiness model prioritizes international export markets and profit, resulting in significant environmental costs such as greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution, as well as social costs including the displacement of peasants, Indigenous Peoples, and pastoralists.
• Rural women face systemic gender inequality regarding land ownership and tenure, with laws and policies often favoring male ownership or requiring husbands' consent for women to acquire land.
• Women in the rural sector experience significant economic discrimination, including lower wages than men and a lack of recognition for their essential roles in social reproduction and biodiversity preservation.
• Land grabbing by transnational mining and agribusiness companies severely impacts women's livelihoods, as seen in Nigeria with rubber plantations and in Indonesia with oil palm monocultures.
• Food sovereignty is defined as the right of peoples to control their own seeds, lands, water, and food production through methods in harmony with Mother Earth and local cultural contexts, contrasting with the neoliberal 'food security' model.
• Rural women employ resistance strategies including the recovery of ancestral seeds, the use of agro-ecological practices, and the formation of political networks to combat isolation and defend their rights.

APA

Hasan, M. R. (2011). women and food sovereignty: voices of rural women of the south. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/women-food-sovereignty-updated.pdf

Chicago

Hasan, Mohammad Rakibul. women and food sovereignty: voices of rural women of the south. Friends of the Earth International, 2011. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/women-food-sovereignty-updated.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hasan |first1=Mohammad Rakibul |title=women and food sovereignty: voices of rural women of the south |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=July 2011 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/women-food-sovereignty-updated.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hasan2011women, author = {Hasan, Mohammad Rakibul}, title = {{women and food sovereignty: voices of rural women of the south}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2011}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/women-food-sovereignty-updated.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }