ABSTRACT
The agricultural sector is the economic backbone of Swaziland, with a contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of about 15 per cent. The principle of gender equality of men and women was recognized in the United Nations Charter in 1945 and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The focus of women and their impact on agricultural development in Swaziland comes as part of a global re-orientation of the development process with the minimization of gender disparity as a major concern. Most improved agricultural practices such as fertilizer and insecticide applications, spacing and thinning that are advocated from time to time demand increased labour. Small-scale businesses and informal enterprises have acquired a lot of importance in Swaziland as elsewhere in Africa. Gender disparity is reflected in household socialization towards farming; access to land and agri-support services; enrolment into agricultural training; employment patterns and opportunities; social selectivity into agricultural leadership positions; and participation in informal sector agriculture.
