Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Vice President Mutale Nalumango says women and girls in rural areas play a critical role in advancing agriculture, food security and poverty reduction in the country.
Ms. Nalumango stated that food security in most parts of the country is dependent on the indigenous expertise and knowledge that women rural areas possess.
She notes that empowering rural women economically and socially does not only contribute towards uplifting the lives of their families and communities, but is also crucial in fostering sustainable economic development across the country.
The vice president says this is why the new dawn government is committed to empowering rural women and also ensuring food security which are the overriding priorities of the African Union’s agenda 2063 and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Ms. Nalumango said this in a speech read on her behalf by Minister of Local government and rural development Garry Nkombo at the International day of Rural women which was held in Chongwe today.
Meanwhile, Nkoka women in agro business Director Nkolola Halwindi appealed to government to government and various stakeholders to assist women in rural areas with modernized farming equipment.
And Chongwe Mayor Christopher Habeenzu called on women in Chongwe to make efforts to access empowerment programs and funds which will be made available by government to improve their livelihood.
Meanwhile the Zambia Land Alliance has bemoaned the land tenure insecurity that affects most rural women who live on customary land.In a statement, ZLA Executive Director Patrick Musole says there is need to put in place practical mechanisms that will increase the security of tenure for rural women so that they are able to plant good seed and produce good food, and in the process encourage sustainable land use.
Mr Musole says even though they are powerless regarding decision-making on how the land should be used, and how the proceeds should be distributed, the rural women remain resilient as the backbone of their families in terms of household food security.
He says the importance of the rural women can never be over-emphasized because they go out of their way to ensure that family members have eaten, and are safe.
Mr Musole has since called upon policy and decision makers to ensure women’s land rights are both respected and protected, especially under customary tenure.
He says Zambia Land Alliance is further urging Chiefs and other traditional leaders to operationalise and follow the gender guidelines that have been developed by the House of Chiefs to ensure gender justice for rural women.