Unanticipated unity and independence: A photovoice of Ugandan gender-based agriculture issues

Abstract

Globally, women are major contributors to agricultural productivity efforts, yet they face challenges in being as productive as their male counterparts. In Uganda, the male-dominant realities of agriculture are as strong as the country’s dependence upon it. In this country, women are responsible for the majority of agricultural production, despite facing a plethora of gender-based barriers. Therefore, this photovoice study aimed to discover gender-based agriculture issues from the perspective of female Ugandan agriculture producers to make applicable recommendations for improvements in research, practice, and extension. Through this study, we found major themes of both technical challenges in agriculture as well as abstract social constructs that hindered the productivity of women farmers. Despite these issues, Ugandan women agriculture producers display unity in self-identification and pride as women farmers. Therefore, we recommend efforts be made to improve education for, research on, and extension efforts targeted toward women farmers as well as training for women and men in these communities to end gender-based violence that is currently used as a tool for control over women in developing, agriculturally-based countries.