Gender: A Key Dimension Linking Agricultural Programs to Improved Nutrition and Health

This four-page brief highlights the need for a gender equitable approach to standard agricultural development strategies in order to in improve the livelihoods and well-being of rural poor.  Evidence shows that increasing women's access to capital and resources, such as land, raises productivity, improves children's nutrition and education and contributes to overall poverty reduction. Three agricultural development strategies are discussed within this brief, which highlight the significance of gender roles and equality in improving nutrition and health.

• Homestead Food Production involves women growing a variety of fruits and vegetables, and rearing small livestock in their gardens while carrying out domestic work. Recommendations for making this approach more valuable to women includes encouraging the development of diversified gardens that include high-value crops and small livestock in order to increase dietary diversity and provide additional income.
• Linking small holders is an approach that involves two main strategies: 1. contract farming where supermarkets or exporters, for example, buy products directly from individuals, and 2. producer marketing groups which promote access to higher value markets through shared transport or bulk contracts, for example. To ensure a gender equitable approach to these strategies it is recommended that women producers are included in contracts and group membership, and payments are made directly to women; and in commercialising food crops or expanding cash crops, ensure that control does not shift from women to men.
• Lastly with Large-Scale Agriculture strategies, recommendations include ensuring that employment opportunities are gender equitable—including task allocation, hours worked, wages, and promotion possibilities. Provision of appropriate and affordable healthcare and childcare facilities is also essential.