Agricultural Sciences: Techniques and Innovations Vol. 8

The increasing participation of women in agriculture, widely described as the “feminisation of agriculture,” has reshaped rural production systems across many developing regions. However, women’s substantial labour contribution has not consistently translated into decision-making authority over land, inputs, income, and technology. Understanding whether strengthening women’s agency improves agricultural and nutritional outcomes is therefore critical for sustainable food systems. The analysis is guided by the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) and agency-based frameworks, focusing on five domains: production decisions, resource ownership, income control, leadership, and time allocation. Evidence from the studies shows a consistent positive relationship between women’s decision-making power and agricultural performance. Closing gender gaps in access to productive resources is associated with yield increases of 20–30% on women-managed plots, improved technical efficiency, and greater crop diversification. Women’s empowerment in production and income decisions is also linked to higher dietary diversity and improved child nutrition outcomes. However, persistent barriers, including insecure land tenure, extension bias, time poverty, and restrictive social norms, continue to limit these benefits. In many regions, the feminisation of agriculture driven by male out-migration results in increased responsibility without corresponding authority. Empowering women as agricultural decision-makers is therefore both a gender equity priority and an economic strategy for improving productivity, nutritional security, and rural resilience. Gender-transformative institutional reforms are essential to convert women’s labour participation into effective managerial agency.