Rural women play an essential role in agriculture.
In addition, women perform tasks that are vital to food provision and the maintenance of the household. Women are involved in all phases of the agricultural cycle, including planting, weeding, the protection and maintenance of fields, and harvesting, conservation, storage, processing and marketing of produce. Women play an important role in market gardening and in the processing of milk products. In the fishery sector, women play an important role in the processing and marketing of fish and fish products. Division of Labour by Gender.