Transforming Gender Relations in Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa

This report argues that transforming gender relations in sub-Saharan African agriculture is essential for improving agricultural productivity, food security, and overall human development. It posits a causal link between gender equality in households and communities and better agricultural outcomes, asserting that standard development interventions cannot fully succeed unless women and men are on equal footing.

• There is a causal relationship between more equal gender relations in households and communities and improved agricultural outcomes. Standard development interventions, such as better machinery, fertilizer, and extension services, are unlikely to reach their full potential unless gender norms that limit the roles of women and men are addressed.
• Gender inequalities significantly reduce agricultural yields in several African countries, primarily due to women's limited access to productive inputs. For example, in Malawi, women's maize yields were 12–19% lower than men's, but reached parity when fertilizer use was matched. In Nigeria's Osun State, women's rice yields were 66% lower than men's due to input differences. The FAO suggests that equal access to resources could increase farm yields by 20–30% and lift 100–150 million people out of hunger.
• Women in sub-Saharan Africa have the highest average agricultural labour force participation globally, estimated at 62.5% in 2012. In Ghana, women provide 52% of the agricultural labour force and produce 70% of the nation's food crops. In Kenya, women provide 70% of agricultural labour; closing the gender gap in inputs there could potentially double the national growth rate from 4.3% to 8.3%.
• Gender norms often dictate the control of crops and resources. While women may provide the bulk of labour for crops like maize, it is often considered a "male crop" because men control its sale. Conversely, groundnuts are traditionally "female crops," but ownership often shifts to men when they become market-attractive. Furthermore, men frequently control key assets like ploughs, leading to women's fields being ploughed, planted, and harvested later than optimal.
• Women's lack of control over assets and decision-making power is linked to poor development outcomes related to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Countries where women cannot own land have, on average, 60% more malnourished children. Additionally, a lack of access to credit is associated with child malnutrition rates 85% above average. Discriminatory family laws are also linked to higher under-5 mortality rates.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). Transforming Gender Relations in Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SIANI-Gender-Africa-book/SIANI-2013-Transforming-Gender-Relations-Chapter1.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Transforming Gender Relations in Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SIANI-Gender-Africa-book/SIANI-2013-Transforming-Gender-Relations-Chapter1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Transforming Gender Relations in Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SIANI-Gender-Africa-book/SIANI-2013-Transforming-Gender-Relations-Chapter1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendtransforming, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Transforming Gender Relations in Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SIANI-Gender-Africa-book/SIANI-2013-Transforming-Gender-Relations-Chapter1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }