Lightening the Load: Labour-Saving Technologies and Practices for Rural Women

Women are central to overcoming rural poverty. They play a critical role in poverty reduction and food security because they are responsible for both production and reproduction. Rural women in developing countries have longer working days than men because of their triple roles as farmers, caretakers of their families and cash earners through income-generating activities and microfinance. In addition, increasing drought and deforestation in many parts of the world make women’s workload even more burdensome as they have to walk ever-longer distances to find firewood and clean water.

Women's multiple roles can act as an obstacle to development interventions, when additional pressure is placed on women’s time. Women’s heavy workloads reduces the time available for participation in project-related activities and affects their ability to care for their families. Ensuring women’s access to labor-saving technologies for water, energy and farm-related activities is fundamental, and the need for such technologies is greater than it has ever been.

This timely publication looks back at three decades of experience in introducing labor-saving technologies and practices to rural women and in combating persistent gender discrimination in access and control. It also takes into account major developments in science, technology and innovation over the last several years and shows how they can benefit women.

Published in association with IFAD

Women are central to overcoming rural poverty. They play a critical role in poverty reduction and food security because they are responsible for both production and reproduction. Rural women in developing countries have longer working days than men because of their triple roles as farmers, caretakers of their families and cash earners through income-generating activities and microfinance. In addition, increasing drought and deforestation in many parts of the world make women’s workload even more burdensome as they have to walk ever-longer distances to find firewood and clean water.

Women's multiple roles can act as an obstacle to development interventions, when additional pressure is placed on women’s time. Women’s heavy workloads reduces the time available for participation in project-related activities and affects their ability to care for their families. Ensuring women’s access to labor-saving technologies for water, energy and farm-related activities is fundamental, and the need for such technologies is greater than it has ever been.

This timely publication looks back at three decades of experience in introducing labor-saving technologies and practices to rural women and in combating persistent gender discrimination in access and control. It also takes into account major developments in science, technology and innovation over the last several years and shows how they can benefit women.

Published in association with IFAD

Marilyn Carr is an international consultant on gender, technology, rural enterprise and poverty reduction.

Maria Hartl is Technical Adviser for Gender and Social Equity in the IFAD Technical Advisory Division.