Economic Benefits of Empowering Women in Agriculture: Assumptions and Evidence

Abstract

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses generally focus on intervention impacts or outcomes. Less common, however, are reviews of the assumptions and theory underlying the pathways between intervention and outcome. We consider the hypothetical case for interventions to empower female farmers, either by prioritising women for new investments or re-allocating existing resources. Empowerment is defined as increased women's decision-making authority related to agricultural resources, management and production, and income. We hypothesise two avenues through which productivity or health benefits might arise: (i) eliminating female-male differences in, e.g. input access; or (ii) leveraging gendered risk, time, and social preferences leading women to differentially allocate resources. A review of evidence highlights the extent of support for the baseline, behaviour change, and economic benefit assumptions behind these hypothesised avenues. Findings suggest returns to investing in female farmers could be significant in various contexts but estimates of economic returns to empowering women in agriculture remain limited.

Development of International Agricultural Trade Using Data Mining Algorithms-Based Trade Equality

“…China is also undergoing a structural transformation of the agricultural economy. e development of international agricultural trade is of great significance to the rise of China's overall economy [1]. e growth of international agricultural trade requires Chinese agricultural products to have strong international market competitiveness.…”

Effect of Interventional Programme on Enhancing Empowerment Status through Decision Making Skills of Tribal Working Women in Utnoor Mandal Adilabad District, India

“…Still, they are lagging far behind in the different walks of life like education, employment, good health economic empowerment and decision-making. There is a basic cultural and psychological tendency on the part of men to dominate the women, which is also seen among the tribal men [2,3]. In this male-dominating society, they are still subjected to discrimination in the social, economic and educational field.…”

Gender disparity in cassava farmers access to agricultural productive resources in Rongo Sub County, Migori County, Kenya

“…Women's participation in agricultural production significantly contributes to the global food security (Glazebrook et al, 2020). Their commitment to the agricultural work force is additionally higher than men's (Anderson et al, 2021;Glazebrook et al, 2020).…”

“…Achieving better results in agricultural productivity and food security is straightforwardly relative to strengthening women's capacities (Anderson et al, 2021;Akter et al, 2017). Farming is the most noteworthy supporter of livelihoods and public economies in the majority of developing nations (Michels et al, 2019).…”

“…Gender disparities brought about by socially perceived discriminations among women and men hinder access and command over farming useful resources (Anderson et al, 2021). Women face various limitations the time spent getting to land that emanate from socio-cultural, economic and demographic barriers and, surprisingly the small portions of land have access to and control over are degraded as far as soil fertility is concerned, hence further exacerbating unstable ownership.…”