International Day of Rural Women 2022: how we’re helping to transform the lives of women farmers
International Rural Women’s Day is an annual event dedicated to the millions of women living in rural areas. It celebrates the contributions – and achievements – of these women to food security.
To mark this, we are highlighting the stories of some of the women farmers we work with in rural western Kenya. These women are being economically empowered, and at the same time, are challenging negative attitudes which say that people with disabilities cannot be successful at farming.
Inclusive Futures’ work is supporting women farmers with and without disabilities to be part of the agricultural supply chain of East Africa Breweries Limited in Kenya. Through introducing farmers to organise collectively through the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture hub model, we help them to access seeds, fertiliser, and provide them with increased power to negotiate better deals with suppliers. Through working with organisations of people with disabilities and women-led organisations, we are working to ensure that income is channelled into the hands of women with disabilities.
The Global Labor Program builds on pilot work previously funded by UK Aid, which gave farmers with disabilities training and resources to grow sorghum – which is essential to brew Senator keg beer – more efficiently. The programme has been scaled up to work with hundreds more farmers with and without disabilities. It is also supporting women entrepreneurs to become part of Coca Cola Beverages Africa’s retailor network in Kenya.
“When you empower a woman, you've empowered a community.”
Erinah Susan – Kisumu, Kenya.
Why is it important to focus on the inclusion of women with disabilities?
- Many of the barriers and vulnerabilities that people with disabilities face are exacerbated for women with disabilities.
- Women with disabilities are more likely to be poor, unemployed, live in food-insecure households and have lower levels of education than men with disabilities.
- Our research shows that women with disabilities who are widowed, are more likely experience stigma compared to people with disabilities who are married or living together.
- In rural areas, usually women do not own land and have no rights to property. This limits their access to credit and other services, and means they are unlikely to meet the conditions required to enter contract farming.
Learn about the farmers’ stories, the challenges they face and the successes they are having through supplying sorghum
“People said I will not be able to see my children through school – that because of my disability I cannot look for money.”
Maren is a farmer and widow from Homa Bay County. Through her work, she is challenging perceptions of what women with disabilities can achieve.
Read Maren's story.
“People living with a disability, people ignore them. But they should be given the opportunity in any society.”
Lucy Linet is a farm hub manager and runs a successful business where she sells seeds, fertiliser and other farming products to support her family.
Read Lucy Linet's story.
“We as women, we have children. Sometimes you realise that you are not able to help them because of your status.”
Jane uses her income from sorghum farming to support her seven children and her husband, who has a heart condition so is unable to work.
Read Jane's story.
Find out more about our research, and what we have learned so far through focusing on gender, social inclusion and labour rights
“Participants provided detailed examples of how they had faced workplace discrimination based on their disability.”
Global technology and analytics company Ulula is using human-centred design to create a digital platform that will share labour rights information with workers.
Read Ulula's blog
“767 people in our sample reported having a disability. 38% reported experiencing stigma related to their disability.”
Innovations for Poverty Action and Sightsavers reflect on the initial results of a baseline survey carried out at the beginning of the programme.
Read the blog.
“Access to and control of resources like land, is a key issue. Women usually do not own land and have no rights to property.”
KEFEADO carried out research to understand how issues around gender and disability intersect to limit the participation of women in value chains.
Watch our interview.
More news and opinions
Global Disability Summit 2025: Closing the gap between disability inclusion and development
Inclusive Futures is attending the summit in Berlin on 2-3 April. Visit our booth or attend our panel event to connect with us and learn more about our programme insights.
Sense International wins prestigious Zero Project award for its work with entrepreneurs with disabilities
Sense International has won a 2025 Zero Project Award for empowering individuals with deafblindness and complex disabilities in Kenya to build successful businesses and achieve financial independence.
Driving change: launching the six principles for inclusive development
Inclusive Futures and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office marked International Day of People with Disabilities by jointly hosting an event to launch the six principles for inclusive development.
Sign up to Inclusive Futures emails today
Sign up to Inclusive Futures emails today
Want to hear more from Inclusive Futures? Sign up to receive the latest research from our programmes and resources to help make your work inclusive of people with disabilities.
For more information see our privacy policy
