Gender norms and agency in the Ethiopian agriculture sector: policy brief

Abstract

Investment and robust studies are needed to strengthen the body of evidence and facilitate gender mainstreaming in agricultural development; Restrictive gender norms remain one of the most significant obstacles for women’s agricultural innovation. Moreover, inequitable intra-household resource allocation affects food security at the household and national level; When women try to innovate they are watched more keenly and judged more harshly than men, and are less likely to be reached by extension workers due to social norms; Transformative methodologies such as Community Conversations create more egalitarian gender relations and social harmony and should be used in the agriculture extension system; Strengthening women’s ability to make effective choices and transform those choices into desired outcomes will bring positive changes to household food security and agricultural productivity