ARUSHA: AFRICAN African Women from 22 countries across the continent have pointed out the need for all nations to start compiling data on land ownership among female farmers in villages.
“It is high time that official data indicating how many rural women in Africa have so far managed or empowered to own land across the continent,” stated Ms Eva Mageni Daudi the Chairperson of the African Kilimanjaro Rural Women Farmers Forum.
On her part, Anna Sangai from the Tanzania Gender Network Programme (TGNP) admitted that, data regarding women land ownership is missing all over Africa despite the fact that a special initiative to that effect was launched in 2016,
Rural Women from 22 African Nations are currently gathering in Arusha to commemorate the 10th Year Anniversary of the Mount Kilimanjaro campaign advocating for women land ownership rights across the continent.
The initiative was officially launched in October 2016 at the foot of Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania with 30 rural women scaling the summit while over 250 others gathered at the mountain base.
The continental campaign was meant to present the Charter of Demands and Aspirations of African Women on Land Rights to national governments and the African Union.
Speaking during the Arusha gathering, Dr Janet Edeme an agricultural scientist and plant biologist, who works as the director of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission (AUC/DREA), said women land ownership was an important factor if the continent is to be food sufficient.
Dr Edeme, a Nigerian farming expert at AUC-DREA based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia said all the food produced on the continent comes from the rural African farmers and ensuring that they are empowered to own and control their land is vital for food security.
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Apparently, Dr Edeme works in the department within the African Union, responsible for promoting sustainable rural development through agriculture and the improvement of food security across the continent.
During the 10th Anniversary of Kilimanjaro Initiative celebrating women’s courage and leadership regarding land and resource rights across 22 African countries, the delegates pointed out that even when it comes to natural disasters, women can only be compensated if they hold official land ownership.
“For instance, we are expecting the El-Nino weather phenomenon which may cause floods in East Africa,” said Ms Naomi Shadrack Mwaiponya from Oxfam International, Nairobi.
“Women are usually the main victims of climate related disasters and governments must ensure that they get protected,” said Naomi.
Regarding achievements realized since the Kilimanjaro climb of 2016, the Guest of Honor, Advocate Nkasori Sarakikya, the Director of legal services and human rights in the Ministry of constitutional and legal affairs said most countries have started working to simplify national land laws.
Sarakikya cited the case of Tanzania which is now translating more than 435 acts into the widely spoken Kiswahili language for easy understanding, in addition to assisting most rural women take leadership and decision-making positions.
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