Transforming gender relations in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Promising approaches

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute previews a forthcoming book on transforming gender relations in Sub-Saharan African agriculture. It argues that while women provide a significant portion of agricultural labour and are primary food producers for rural families, they face systemic resource gaps and social constraints. The document outlines a conceptual framework for empowerment based on agency, structure, and relations, and highlights the necessity of addressing land ownership and value chain access to improve food security and productivity.

• Closing the gender gap in agricultural inputs has the potential to significantly reduce global hunger, with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimating it could lift 100–150 million people out of hunger.
• Women in Sub-Saharan Africa exhibit high agricultural labour participation but face severe resource disparities compared to men. In Ghana, women provide 52% of the agricultural labour force and produce 70% of food crops, while in East Africa they comprise about 51% of the labour force. However, a study in Kenya revealed that tools owned by female farmers were worth only 18% as much as those owned by men, and fewer than 10% of farmers in Kenyan fresh fruit and vegetable export contract-farming schemes are female.
• The document proposes a conceptual framework for empowerment consisting of three dimensions: agency (the ability to define and act on goals), structure (the political, cultural, economic, and social norms that can either advance or constrain women), and relations (social capital and relationships within and between communities). The text asserts that agricultural interventions often fail when they do not address all three dimensions.
• Inequality in land ownership is linked to higher rates of child malnutrition; countries where women cannot own land have an average of 60% more malnourished children. In Ghana, a 1% increase in property owned by rural women correlates with a 2.8% increase in monthly food expenditure. While land titling is a start, women still require capital, credit, technology, and training to make farming efficient.
• Women are often excluded from agricultural value chains and commercial farming due to cultural norms, lack of husband's permission, and lower literacy and numeracy skills. The document cites a case study in Uganda using the Gender in Action Learning System (GALS) in the coffee value chain to demonstrate how improving gender relations can benefit both men and women.

APA

Davis, M. S., Farnworth, C., & Sundell, M. F. (2012). Transforming gender relations in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Promising approaches. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-SIANI-TransformingGenderRelationsInAgricultureInSubSaharanAfricaPromisingApproaches-2012.pdf

Chicago

Davis, Marion S., Cathy Farnworth, and Melinda Fones Sundell. Transforming gender relations in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Promising approaches. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2012. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-SIANI-TransformingGenderRelationsInAgricultureInSubSaharanAfricaPromisingApproaches-2012.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Davis |first1=Marion S. |last2=Farnworth |first2=Cathy |last3=Sundell |first3=Melinda Fones |title=Transforming gender relations in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Promising approaches |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=22 August 2012 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-SIANI-TransformingGenderRelationsInAgricultureInSubSaharanAfricaPromisingApproaches-2012.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{davis2012transforming, author = {Davis, Marion S. and Farnworth, Cathy and Sundell, Melinda Fones}, title = {{Transforming gender relations in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Promising approaches}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2012}, month = aug, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-DiscussionBrief-SIANI-TransformingGenderRelationsInAgricultureInSubSaharanAfricaPromisingApproaches-2012.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }