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Women’s roles in decision-making and nutrition-sensitive agriculture

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  • Mohammed, Feiruz Yimer
  • Khonje, Makaiko G.
  • Qaim, Matin

Abstract

The small farm sector is home to many of the world’s food insecure and undernourished people. Strategies to make smallholder farming more nutrition-sensitive often focus on agricultural diversification. In addition, women’s empowerment is widely considered useful to improve diets and nutrition. Many studies have analyzed the effects of farm production diversification and of women’s empowerment on dietary outcomes, but mostly in separate strands of literature. Here, we connect these strands of literature to contribute to a better understanding of the multifaceted links between farm production diversity, women’s roles in decision-making, and household diets. Using primary data from Malawi, we show that women’s decision-making is positively associated with farm production diversity and with household dietary diversity. Furthermore, women’s decision-making increases the positive association between farm production diversity and dietary diversity. We also differentiate between different domains of decision-making, including agricultural production, market sales, cash income control, and food purchases. The results suggest that strengthening women’s agency can make smallholder farming more nutrition-sensitive through multiple channels.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammed, Feiruz Yimer & Khonje, Makaiko G. & Qaim, Matin, 2024. "Women’s roles in decision-making and nutrition-sensitive agriculture," Sustainable Food Systems Discussion Papers 347962, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:gausfs:347962
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.347962
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