KABUL (SW): Afghanistan joined the world to mark the International Day of Rural Women in a grand three-day Agro Fair that concluded in the capital Kabul on Friday.
Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MoAIL), the event attracted thousands of people.
Slightly over 50 percent population of Afghanistan is female. To the surprise of many, it is quite normal for women in villages across Afghanistan to work in the fields on her own or in groups. A significant proportion of labour force in rural parts of the country comprises of women yet their participation is meagrely rewarded.
Lack of technical and financial resources and better market access were three main issues highlighted by a number of female farmers that brought their products for display in the fair. There were however, a number of success stories as well.
Women from across Afghanistan participated in the fair with gracefully managed stalls displaying products ranging from home-made dairy products to neatly done embroidery on fabrics and a number of other agriculture products.
Rula Ghani, the First Lady also visited each and stalls shoulder to shoulder with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, which is a clear contrast to the legacy of former President Hamid Karzai that was seldom seen in public with the former first lady Dr. Zeenat Karzai. Ghani himself termed agriculture as a core element for stability in the country.
That is why some analysts argue the present Kabul government is better placed in terms of safeguarding women’s rights in the rather conservative Afghan society. Mehbooba Siraj is one such observer.
“This is the best opportunity for you [rural women] to ask for your rights, this soil will be unable to produce a single grain of wheat if the rural women does not work in the fields shoulder to shoulder with the men”, she said while addressing the gathering of female farmers in the fair.
Decades of conflict shattered most segments of the Afghan society including agriculture. The relative peace of the past one decade enabled many farmers, including women to obtain funds for various projects designed to revive the agro-based economy of the land-locked country.
Playing active role as the media partner, Salam Watandar dedicated live radio and online coverage for the fair besides pre-event public awareness campaign.
Talking exclusively to Salam Watandar on the sidelines of the fair, Assadullah Zamir, Minister for Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock said the fair provided a much needed opportunity for the farmers to learn from each other’s experience and access markets.
“We have combined the activities for the Rural Women’s Day with this AgFair for the fact that rural women are playing crucial role in the agriculture of the country”, he said.
The Home Economics Department of the MoAIL mange to pull a daunting task of ensuring the Rural Women’s Day makes a mark in the AgFair.
Nazeera Rehman, Director Home Economics Department said on the occasion that this was indeed an encouraging fact that for the first time the MoAIL has marked the Rural Women’s Days in Afghanistan. She mentioned that around 70 % of rural women in Afghanistan are associated with agriculture yet their hard work rarely earns them the due recognition.
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