Gender dynamics and aspirational disparities in agriculture

Abstract

Despite increasing scholarly attention to individual aspirations, rural women's aspirations in agriculture remain largely unexplored. With women increasingly central to agricultural work, understanding their aspirations is crucial. Using farm surveys from Ecuador, Kenya, and Rwanda, we investigate the relationship between gender and aspiration formation in agriculture. Similar to previous findings related to education and entrepreneurship, our findings show women have lower ambitions for agricultural production. Addressing the unique challenges they face, gender-sensitive policies are vital for inclusive, sustainable agriculture. Our study contributes to a broader understanding of the multidimensional factors shaping agricultural outcomes, underscoring the importance of integrating diverse perspectives for effective policy formulation in agriculture.