Women, Natural Resources and Sustainable Farming Systems

This chapter examines women’s roles in managing natural resources and building sustainable farming systems. It highlights women’s involvement in land preparation, water management, seed preservation, composting, biomass recycling, livestock care, kitchen gardens, fuelwood collection, fodder management, forest-product collection and household food systems. Despite these major responsibilities, women often lack secure land rights, irrigation entitlements, forest-use authority, access to machinery, extension recognition and representation in local resource-governance institutions. The chapter challenges the simplistic assumption that women are naturally better environmental managers. It argues instead that sustainable practices depend on women’s rights, incentives, labour availability, knowledge, institutional support and livelihood security. It discusses agroecology, climate-smart agriculture, regenerative farming, integrated natural-resource management and nature-based solutions through a gender lens. The chapter warns that environmental interventions can increase women’s unpaid labour, restrict access to common property resources or transfer control of profitable activities to men. It recommends secure land rights, women’s representation in water and forest committees, access to labour-saving technologies, recognition of indigenous knowledge, collective resource management and gender-sensitive sustainability indicators. The chapter concludes that sustainable farming cannot be achieved without addressing the unequal authority women experience over the natural resources they manage daily.