Women's Contribution to Food Security

Agricultural development aims to increase agricultural production and the welfare of farming families so that food security is achieved. Food security cannot be separated from the role of women.

Women are involved in production activities (in agriculture), food processing, and food distribution. They not only produce food, but are also the main responsibility for providing food for all family members (Novia, 2015).

The results of previous studies show that women are a determining factor in food security for their families, starting from the production process on agricultural land, marketing, to provision (Shamadiyah & Nasution, 2018).

The contribution of women to fisheries in the study by Harper et.al (2013) states that, both directly and indirectly, women are often ignored in economic management and analysis. In most communities, women contribute significantly to protein-containing food for their families, and women's activities in the fisheries sector can add substantial economic value to fish caught and landed by men.

Baliki et. Al (2019) from Bangladesh proved that women's empowerment and participation in agricultural product marketing have a positive effect on increasing farmers' income and family food security. Strengthening women and youth through community-based training programs can provide a significant boost to sustainable resource utilization (Mapiye et.al, 2019).

Women and youth empowerment is one of the significant strategies that has been proven to increase household food and nutrition security (Njuki, et.al, 2011; Galié, et.al, 2019). Women have the fighting spirit to meet family food needs in various ways.

In Indonesia, when shopping for food, Indonesian women usually think and act very economically. They try to fulfill various types of food with a minimal budget allocation. Ironically, this thinking and action does not apply when shopping for clothing needs.

Everyone in the farming family contributes according to their respective roles. Starting from land preparation, planting, maintenance, harvesting, to marketing. Especially in “pure coffee farming families”, namely families who do make coffee farming their main job (not a side job like civil servants, for example, who also have land either cultivated by themselves or cultivated by others).

With the profits from selling the coffee harvest, the most important thing for Gayo farmers is the realization of food security in their families. When more and more families enjoy this positive trend, food security is apparent at the community or society level. This condition can be seen with the naked eye in the changes in the welfare level of the Gayo people.[]