15 million
malnourished Ugandans.
[1].
80%
of food consumed in Uganda is produced by women.
[2].
1:3
For every one pound of food a woman produces, a man can produce three.
[3].
An Uphill Battle
Ugandan smallholder farmers have many barriers to success. Here's an overview:
Women's Rights
-
Women produce 70% of the food on the African continent
-
Women are significantly less agriculturally productive than men
-
Women have fewer rights when making familial or farming decisions
-
This can be reversed through agriculture extension opportunities [4].
Climate Change
-
Ugandans refer to climate change as "sunshine," and smallholder farmers are in agreement: extreme weather is catastrophic to their food supply
-
Sub-Saharan Africa is warming faster than other areas, hitting the most vulnerable part of the world the hardest.
-
Warmer temperatures and variable rainfall patters lead to failing crops, contributing to high poverty.
Extreme poverty
-
The majority of rural Ugandans are farmers, and they're getting poorer.
-
In an already drought-prone area, Sub-Saharan populations have become nearly 50% more malnourished since 2012 [5].
-
Lack of water, rampant malaria and other diseases, educational barriers and malnutrition create a viscous and seemingly unending cycle.
Left without extra time or money, women smallholder farmers are unable to overcome these barriers on their own.
Women, who are unable to own land in Uganda, must remain on the farm doing the majority of the work to raise food for the family, and by extension, the money to support all the family’s needs. They do not have time to attend agriculture trainings offered in village centers that men attend, nor do they have the money to make the trip as transportation is one of the most significant barriers to rural life.
Meet the women of
Her Mighty Hands
Meet Marrion.
Marrion wanted to be a farmer. Now, she wants to be a doctor. Her Mighty Hands is helping her to accomplish this goal.
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Marrion lives in the Amolatar District of Northern Uganda. She started watching the HMH training videos with her mom out of interest and then to help increase harvest. The surplus helped pay for her school fees, where she attends the Golden Bell School District. Here, Marrion became interested in becoming a doctor. She looks forward to researching ways to reduce malaria outbreaks in her village and surrounding areas to support healthy, sustainable communities.
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