Measuring Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture: Innovations and evidence

Quisumbing, Agnes R.; Cole, Steven W.; Elias, Marlène; Faas, Simone; Galiè, Alessandra; Malapit, Hazel J.; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela; Myers, Emily; Seymour, Greg; Twyman, Jennifer

doi:10.1016/j.gfs.2023.100707

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 77 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The robustness check confirms that the gender of the household head may influence the effects of credit on food security, since the gender of the household may be critical in resource access, decision‐making, and a buffer against food consumption shortfalls (Larson et al, 2019; Lutomia et al, 2019; Silva et al, 2023). We corroborate some previous studies that assert that women are more concerned with household welfare (Duflo & Udry, 2004; Hoddinott & Alderman, 1994; Quisumbing et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 91%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Credit, gender, and food security: Empirical evidence of determinants to access, affordability, and consumption in Cameroon

Kyeremateng,

Molua,

Mvodo

et al. 2024

World Food Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Despite receiving considerable attention, food insecurity remains a salient issue, especially in sub‐Saharan Africa. Among other factors, limited access to credit is one of the direct drivers of food insecurity. Hence, interventions such as credit, which improve household income, may be important in improving food security. While previous studies have evaluated the effects of credit on food security, the evidence is mixed. Moreover, neither the effect of the amount of credit nor the gender aspects have been adequately considered. In this paper, we evaluate the role of credit access on household food security. Beyond credit access, we also considered the amount of credit. Using cross‐sectional data from two unique regions of Cameroon, we estimated using ordered probit models, and to gain more insights, we performed a gender‐disaggregated analysis. Our results suggest that both formal credit access and the amount of credit are positively associated with the food security status of the household. However, informal credit access does not affect food security. The effects of credit are influenced by the gender of the household head as shown by our gender‐disaggregated results. We therefore recommend that policies that constraint households' access to formal credit should be relaxed.

show abstract

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…corroborate some previous studies that assert that women are more concerned with household welfare (Duflo & Udry, 2004;Hoddinott & Alderman, 1994;Quisumbing et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Credit, gender, and food security: Empirical evidence of determinants to access, affordability, and consumption in Cameroon

Kyeremateng,

Molua,

Mvodo

et al. 2024

World Food Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…On the other hand, interventions that reflect the status quo may reproduce and aggravate gender disadvantaged labor allocation and resource distribution patterns. In a meta-analysis of the impact of livestock interventions on indicators of women’s empowerment, the most common negative consequence was an increase in women’s workload ( 27 ), as reported by a dairy intensification project in Uganda, for example ( 28 ). Family members who do not see the benefits of an innovation may oppose its adoption in the household, undermining the effectiveness of an intervention, as in the case of East Coast Fever infection and treatment method in Kenya ( 29 ).…”

Section: Gender Considerations In One Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender considerations in One Health: a framework for researchers

Galiè,

McLeod,

Campbell

et al. 2024

Front. Public Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One Health research and intervention outcomes are strongly influenced by gender dynamics. Women, men, girls, and boys can be negatively affected by gender-based disadvantage in any of the three One Health domains (animal, human, and environmental health), and where this occurs in more than one domain the result may be a compounding of inequity. Evidence worldwide shows that women and girls are more likely to suffer from such gender-based disadvantage. A thoughtfully implemented One Health intervention that prioritizes gender equity is more likely to be adopted, has fewer unintended negative consequences, and can support progress toward gender equality, however there is limited evidence and discussion to guide using a gender lens in One Health activities. We propose a framework to identify key gender considerations in One Health research for development – with a focus on Low-and Middle-Income Countries. The framework encourages developing two types of research questions at multiple stages of the research process: those with a bioscience entry-point and those with a gender entry-point. Gender considerations at each stage of research, institutional support required, and intervention approaches is described in the framework. We also give an applied example of the framework as it might be used in One Health research. Incorporation of gender questions in One Health research supports progress toward more equitable, sustainable, and effective One Health interventions. We hope that this framework will be implemented and optimized for use across many One Health challenge areas with the goal of mainstreaming gender into One Health research.

show abstract

“…Owing to these limitations, and the lack of a comprehensive index to painstakingly analyse gender equality and women's empowerment in the overall agricultural sector as well as in fisheries and aquaculture, the women's empowerment in agriculture index (WEAI) was developed, from which the women's empowerment in fisheries and aquaculture index (WEFI) was adapted (Quisumbing et al, 2023). Adapting WEAI to WEFI and its various derivatives to different agricultural sub-sectors has proven not only useful but also crucial in measuring women's empowerment (Cole et al, 2018(Cole et al, , 2020Ragsdale et al, 2022).…”

Section: Ijdi 231mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adapting WEAI to WEFI and its various derivatives to different agricultural sub-sectors has proven not only useful but also crucial in measuring women's empowerment (Cole et al, 2018(Cole et al, , 2020Ragsdale et al, 2022). As summed up by Quisumbing et al (2023), before development of WEAI and its derivatives, most measures of women's empowerment in agriculture and its sub-sectors focused on measuring a limited aspect of agency and empowerment, or were indirect, in that they only focused on measuring women's access to economic resources.…”

Section: Ijdi 231mentioning

confidence: 99%

The status of women’s empowerment in the aquaculture sector in Kenya

Adam,

Sufian,

Njogu

2023

IJDI

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose Women’s empowerment remains a key development challenge in Kenya. The purpose of this study is to attempt to understand the status of women’s empowerment and the key contributors to their disempowerment in Kenya’s aquaculture sector. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 534 male and female fish farmers from 300 households drawn from six counties in Kenya (Kakamega, Kisumu, Kisii, Kiambu, Meru and Nyeri). The Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI) was adapted to Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Fisheries and Aquaculture Index (A-WEFI) to suit the aquaculture and fisheries sub-sector. The adapted A-WEFI was then used to estimate and the status of women’s and men’s using five domains of empowerment (5DE) and a gender parity index (GPI). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Cramer’s V and sensitivity analysis as test statistics. Findings About 86% of the men and 80% of the women were classified as empowered. The mean score of the 5DE was 0.93 and 0.95 for women and men, respectively. In addition, 82% of the households achieved gender parity, suggesting that for such households, empowerment of men was no greater than that of women. Overall, the results suggest no major differences between the empowerment of women and men. Findings suggest areas of improvement in empowerment: when observed separately, women report lack of agency in production, resource, time-use and allocation and leadership. Originality/value This paper adapts the A-WEAI to the fisheries and aquaculture context, in bid to bridge the gap in standard women’s empowerment measurement methods in this area. Also, there are limited empirical studies on the multifaceted empowerment of women in aquaculture in Kenya. The findings are meant to serve as a point of reference for policymakers, as they develop gender-responsive intervention programmes, and in implementing gender mainstreaming in Kenya.

show abstract

Measuring Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture: Innovations and evidence

Cited by 18 publications

References 77 publications

Credit, gender, and food security: Empirical evidence of determinants to access, affordability, and consumption in Cameroon

Credit, gender, and food security: Empirical evidence of determinants to access, affordability, and consumption in Cameroon

Gender considerations in One Health: a framework for researchers

The status of women’s empowerment in the aquaculture sector in Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About