This paper investigates the meaning of female empowerment and presents the argument why empowerment is needed. Empowerment is treated as a process which does not stop with empowerment per se, but also looks at what...

Ester Boserup’s book Women’s role in economic development marked an important step in understanding the position of women in developing economies. Her book, along with the work of feminists writing at the same time, marked...

This paper considers the impact of gender specific constraints on the production and marketing of cash crops. Cash crop production differs from general agricultural production in that it entails engaging in output markets to make...

This paper reviews rural women’s access to financial services, a key factor of successful rural development strategies. Designing appropriate financial products for women to be able to save, borrow and insure is essential to strengthen...

This paper examines gender differentiated asset dynamics over a 20 year period (1988-2008) in Northern Nigeria. The paper first examines the state of the literature on poverty dynamics, especially with respect to gender differences and...

This paper introduces value chain analysis and development as tools for addressing gender inequities in markets. We describe how factors such as access to assets, gendered education differentials and the nature and value of economic...

This paper explores, conceptually and empirically, the question of how much food is produced by women. Data for labour inputs and agricultural output are used to assess women’s contribution to food and agricultural production. The...

Agriculture can be an important engine of growth and poverty reduction. But the sector is underperforming in many countries in part because women, who are often a crucial resource in agriculture and the rural economy,...