Empowering women in livestock: addressing gender barriers in Uganda’s pig sector

Livestock is a key sector in Uganda, contributing approximately 4.3% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Nearly 60% of households depend on livestock for their livelihoods, with women and youth playing crucial roles in livestock production.

However, restrictive social and gender norms limit their ability to fully benefit from business and economic opportunities in the sector.

To address barriers in the pig-sector, gender researchers from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) implemented targeted interventions aimed at transforming gender norms and enhancing the participation and benefits of women and youth in Uganda’s pig enterprises.

Livestock farming, particularly pig farming in central Uganda, offers women a pathway to income generation and empowerment.

Despite this potential, gender norms continue to dictate women’s participation in the sector, limiting their benefits.

Gender norms define acceptable roles and actions for women and men in a society and are often rooted in unspoken beliefs and myths that influence all aspects of women’s empowerment, for example that women are unable to own and manage large pig farms.

Empowerment is the expansion of people’s ability to make strategic life choices where they were previously denied this ability.

For women, it involves self-determination, control over their circumstances, and the ability to realize their aspirations.

Photo: Free ranging smallholder piglets in Kamuli district, Uganda (photo credit: ILRI/Eliza Smith)