The International Coffee Organization marked International Women’s Day by celebrating the roles women play in the coffee value chain.
Women are taking an increasingly active role in the international coffee industry, the ICO said, citing statistics showing women represent 43% of the world’s agricultural labor force and up to 35% of coffee farms are led by women.
The challenges facing women are significant, the ICO said. In addition to striving against limiting cultural and gender norms, they often combine their coffee industry duties with traditional roles as homemakers and mothers. Female coffee producers are given less access to land ownership, credit, markets, technology, water, education, and other needs. As a result, they produce lower yields and lower income.
“Clearly there is a need for better public policies and provision of services to help overcome the barriers women face across the coffee farming community,” said José Sette, ICO’s executive director.