Measuring Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture: Innovations and evidence
Abstract
This paper addresses women’s empowerment in agriculture, innovations in its measurement, and emerging
evidence. We discuss the evolution of the conceptualization and measurement of women’s empowerment and
gender equality since 2010. Using a gender and food systems framework and a standardized measure of women’s
empowerment, the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI), we review the evidence on “what
works” to empower women based on impact evaluations of a portfolio of 11 agricultural development projects
with empowerment objectives and a scoping review of livestock interventions. We then review the evidence on
associations between empowering women and societal benefits–agricultural productivity, incomes, and food
security and nutrition. We conclude with recommendations for measurement and policy.
Citation
Agnes Quisumbing, Steven Cole, Marlène Elias, Simone Faas, Alessandra Galiè, Hazel Malapit, Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Emily Myers, Greg Seymour, Jennifer Twyman, Measuring Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture: Innovations and evidence, Global Food Security, Volume 38, 2023, 100707, ISSN 2211-9124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2023.100707.