Women in the coffee industry: what you need to know
Women are the backbone of agricultural production, representing nearly half of the global workforce in this sector. Yet, due to deep gender inequalities, many of these women are unable to reach their full potential, and the coffee industry is no exception.
The gender gap in coffee production
Achieving gender equality begins with understanding what needs to change. Here is a comprehensive overview of the situation of women in the coffee industry.
A significant wage gap
In 2014, the income gap in seven East African producer organizations was measured at 39%. Male dominance in the transport and final sale of coffee also exacerbates the gender income disparity. While men receive the proceeds from coffee sales, women have more difficulty accessing them.
The double burden
Women often face a "double burden" because they not only work on the farms, but also take care of daily household chores, whether it be raising children, carrying water, preparing meals, maintaining the house, etc.
Interviews with coffee-farming couples in Uganda revealed that women work a disproportionate number of hours compared to men. Men had an eight-hour workday, while women worked up to 15 hours a day, including the total hours spent on coffee production and household chores.
A lack of resources and support
Up to 70% of the work on coffee plantations—planting, harvesting, processing, sorting, etc.—is done by women , according to the 2018 report by the International Coffee Organization (ICO) . Despite this, research shows that women consistently have less access to resources such as land and credit than men.
Although the number of women farmers is increasing, decision-making roles in coffee production remain largely in the hands of men, whether in trade, export, or laboratory work. Indeed, women represent only 3% to 20% of landowners in developing countries.
Low-income and indigenous women producers, in particular, are more likely to have less access to the resources, coffee training, and trading networks they need to improve coffee yields and quality and market their harvests.
In short, women are generally limited to less influential roles in the coffee value chain.
