Evaluating impacts of gender integration on agriculture and food security outcomes

Women constitute 75% of Kenya’s agricultural labour force; however, gender inequalities often undermine their productivity and nutritional well-being. This includes unequal access to and control over land, agricultural technologies, extension services, markets, and climate information. Development projects often address gender gaps in resource allocation, with little focus on unequal gender and social norms. This is where the gender-transformative approach comes in. It aims at building social attitudes, behaviours, and structures that support gender equality for people and communities.

Studies on the impacts of gender-transformative approaches to household and community food and nutrition security are scarce in Kenya and other parts of Africa. This research project aims to test the two comparable but distinctive approaches (gender-transformative and traditional/business school) and measure their potential for improving gender equality, women’s empowerment, women’s productivity and income, and the food and nutrition security of smallholder farmers. Randomized control trial design will be applied to compare outcomes.

The 30-month study will involve 489 households for close observation while targeting 5,400 (3,000 direct and 2,400 indirect) beneficiaries from Kinangop, Nyandarua County in Kenya. Through this study, CARE Canada will promote gender-transformative programming in light of a changing climate, engage women to realize the benefits of productive, profitable, and equitable agriculture initiatives, and contribute to bridging existing knowledge gaps on the role of gender in agriculture.