Contract farming (CF) is an arrangement between farmers and a processing or marketing firm for
the production and supply of agricultural products, often at predetermined prices.1 Farmers are
responsible for producing specific quantities of a good at a certain level of quality and agricultural
firms are responsible for purchasing the commodity, often also providing inputs and technical
assistance.2 EPAR Research Request 60 prepared for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,
Smallholder Contract Farming in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, reviews the empirical evidence on CF
and finds that the economic and social benefits for smallholder farmers are mixed.3 This literature
review complements that work by specifically examining the impacts and potential benefits of CF
for women in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
The literature on gender and CF in SSA falls into two broad categories: the determinants of female
participation in CF schemes and the impact of CF on women’s welfare within the household. A
significant portion of the existing work relies on ex post case studies, although there is also an
emerging literature addressing best practices in contract design and implementation. Appendix 1
provides a summary of CF case studies that include a gender component.
Overall, our review suggests that involvement in CF often prompts a shift in household production
strategies. The literature suggests that women’s direct participation in CF is limited. Limited access
to land and control over the allocation of labor and cash resources are key constraints hindering
women’s ability to benefit from CF. The impact of CF on women is often mediated by their relative
bargaining power within the household.
