The Fight for Female Farmers

Even conventional discussions on gender and water quickly reach the conclusion that issues not apparently related to water are at the root cause of the problem - one of them being women’s limited access to land (van Koppen 2002). In my opinion, lack of access to land is one of the main underlying causes of women’s limited access to water: a recent World Bank study shows that this is the key reason why female-headed households are more prone to poverty. In many developing countries, land ownership is a precondition for access to water. 

Even though women are usually considered domestic water users while men are viewed as productive water users, women have an increasingly crucial input into income-generating activities which demand a reliable water supply. Not only are their responsible for food production, they also have a central duty in establishing the sustainable use of resources in small-scale fishing communities, as well as the management of watersheds and wetlands.

By recognising the role of women as land holders, this would increase their access to irrigation water for agricultural purposes and positively contribute to the development agenda. However, this is still not the case - numerous instances have been documented in which female farmers were bluntly excluded in the construction of new irrigation schemes (Zwarteveen 1994, Merrey and Bakisvar 1998). 

Upadhyay (2004) argues that access of women to water for productive use not only increases their income earning potential but also helps strengthen their bargaining positions. The author focuses her research on the Banaskantha district in India, where she concludes that the present practice of water allocation entails a great deal of inequality. Productive uses of water which are mostly employed by women - such as livestock rearing, vegetable farming and brick-making - are often included in the less-visible informal sector and marginalised from the water allocation priorities. In turn, this often results in conflict amongst household members which further limits their future decision-making abilities due to the inherent patriarchal customs. The solution, as suggested by Upadhyay, is to implement appropriate institutional support and access to resources. 

The recognition of women’s needs for water as productive users will strengthen their bargaining position within the household as well as increase their independent entitlements which is essential in achieving overall gender equality.