Mexican women in food production

Women in Mexico play an important role in the production of agricultural, livestock, fishing, aquaculture and agroindustrial food.

In Mexico, 992,000 women work in the primary sector, of which 83.9% work in agriculture, 13.3% in livestock, 1.1% in fishing and 1.7% in other activities.

According to the Mexican government, the priority programs of the Ministry of Agriculture are based on criteria of equity in the distribution of resources in the different regions of the country, gender equality and support for the indigenous population and small and medium-scale producers, the scope of which has been fundamental in reducing inequality gaps and overcoming poverty and social exclusion in rural areas.

Some examples that can be cited are the following:

Production for Well-Being Program.

Special attention to women: the program operates with a gender perspective by supporting 648,683 women producers, 32.8% of the total number of beneficiaries.

Fertilizers for Well-Being

Of the total number of producers supported by the program, 44% were women producers, who received 43% of the total fertilizers delivered by the program, equivalent to 72,274.8 tons.

Liconsa’s Social Milk Supply Program

In terms of the gender composition of the beneficiary register, women represent 59% and men 41%.

Program for the Promotion of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture

During fiscal year 2020, 192,648 beneficiaries were supported (40,208 women and 152,440 men).

Women

Likewise, n Mexico, the Autonomous University of Chapingo contributed to reducing gender gaps in order to achieve substantive equality between women and men.

The composition of enrollment shows a substantial increase in the number of women, from 40% in 2011 to 45% in 2020.

It also contributed to the training of 335 new graduate-level professionals (52.84% women and 47.16% men).

For these reasons, the Ministry of Agriculture (Sader) of Mexico considers and values the importance of women in its priority programs and in compliance with the guidelines, strategies and public policy actions established in the National Program for Equality between Women and Men (Proigualdad) 2020-2024.