Scaling up farming through public-private linkages to improve rural women’s income and nutrition (Ghana)

 

Background: Few studies have examined the influence of women's participation in farmer groups on female and male empowerment, which is considered essential to improving nutrition. Objectives: The study aimed to 1) assess the empowerment of Ghanaian women farmers, 1 adult male family decision-maker per household, and the household gender equality; and 2) investigate the relation of empowerment and household gender equality with women's participation in farmer-based organizations (FBOs), women's and men's nutritional status, and household food security. Methods: A cross-sectional study investigated secondary outcomes using baseline data from a nutrition-sensitive agriculture intervention implemented through FBOs in rural Ghana. Existing FBOs in 8 communities were selected based on 6 criteria (e.g., participation level, readiness to change). Female FBO (n = 166) and non-FBO (n = 164) members together with a male family member (n = 205) provided data on individual and household characteristics; empowerment was measured across 11 indicators with the project-level Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index. Generalized linear mixed models tested the associations of empowerment and household gender equality with FBO membership, nutritional status, and household food security. Results: Women's FBO membership was associated with an increased likelihood of women's empowerment [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.25; 95% CI: 1.97, 5.33] and household gender parity (aOR: 2.82; 95% CI: 1.39, 5.84) but not men's empowerment. Household food insecurity, but not nutritional status, was positively associated with women's FBO participation and individual empowerment indicators (financial services). Food insecurity was negatively associated with the women's empowerment indicator related to attitudes about domestic violence [adjusted β coefficient (aβ): −0.78; 95% CI: −1.35, −0.21] and men's overall empowerment (aβ: −0.79; 95% CI: −1.58, −0.01). Conclusions: Understanding the complexity in which FBO participation, empowerment, nutritional status, and food security are linked is critical in designing interventions that promote gender equality and improved nutrition.

Over one-third of rural Ghanaians live below the poverty line, with women and children living in poverty having the highest risk of poor nutrition and health. Sustained integrated approaches that increase agricultural productivity and value addition, diversify incomes, and enhance knowledge and skills among all stakeholders, notably women are required to improve the well-being of rural communities. The Scaling up women’s agripreneurship through public-private linkages to improve rural women’s income, nutrition, and the effectiveness of institutions in rural Ghana project (Linking Up) is a follow-up study to build on the results of the Nutrition Links project (NLP) funded by the Canadian Government (2013-18). The NLP’s multi-sectoral integrated livelihoods, nutrition, agriculture and health intervention with rural women groups in the Upper Manya Krobo District (UMKD) of the Eastern Region decreased household food insecurity, increased women’s access to income and improved young children’s diets and nutritional status. However, efforts to sustain the intervention through multisectoral collaborations by local institutions were unsuccessful due primarily to the lack of integration of sustainability mechanisms into the regular operations of the local institutions. In this report we note factors identified that facilitate or impede women’s participation in farming and agri-food entrepreneur associations supported by local institutions.

References used in synthesis

Costing information for the two intervention packages : poultry package and horticulture package

Data placemats presented at dissemination workshop