Can women empowerment enhance rice productivity? The case of Vietnam

Abstract

This study examines the impact of women empowerment in agricultural production on household rice production in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam, based on interview data from 281 rice farmers. Using the Abbreviated Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A‐WEAI), the study finds that 73.7% of women were considered empowered in agricultural production, with an average overall empowerment score of 0.84. The study identifies Leadership as the foremost component responsible for women's disempowerment. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis demonstrates that empowering women increases household rice productivity by 0.457 tons per hectare and 4.035 tons per farmer. Furthermore, women empowerment enhances rice income by 24.168 million VND per farmer and 2.805 million VND per hectare. This study conducts additional robustness analyses to confirm the result's consistency. Additionally, the study examines the difference in rice production outcomes between women empowered in four domains versus five domains, finding that achieving four out of the five domains of the A‐WEAI ensures women empowerment. These findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions that promote women empowerment and contribute to sustainable agricultural development.