Policy highlights:

• Research suggests there is a causal relation between equal gender relations and better agricultural output.
• Sustainable transformation of gender relations demands action on all levels: 1) individually – by providing capacity building, assertiveness training for women, and technical and business skills training; 2) within households – empowering both men and women and encouraging them to work together to achieve a shared vision; 3) at the community level – by organizing women’s networks to challenge decision-making structures and move them into leadership positions; and 4 )across the enabling environment – by providing women with direct access to land, addressing harmful cultural norms, and promoting gender-responsive budgeting.
• Pro-poor value chains must be developed by addressing constraints faced by both men and women. A prerequisite for success is strong agency for the poorest farmers (male and female) regardless of their level in the value chain.
• Gender-sensitive indicators and data are needed to enable policymakers, development agencies and farmers to take better decisions as well as to assist women and men along the value chain to better understand their markets