Empowerment matters: “Invisible Women” in Niger produce less food

Fleur Wouterse has a new blog published on Agrilinks discussing recent research using the WEAI in Niger. Her takeaway messages include:

Empowerment matters for agricultural production. Less empowered households experience lower returns to their labor and use their traction equipment and animals in a less effective manner. Women are much less empowered in so-called dual households where a primary male is also present. Increasing the empowerment of these women, for example, through leadership training or encouraging membership in groups (rotating savings schemes or producer organizations) will ultimately generate benefits in terms of increased food production.

Visit the IFPRI Slideshare site to view Fleur's presentation on this work last year, available here.