Value chain interventions and women's economic empowerment – background and evidence

The presentation reviews literature on agricultural value chain interventions and women’s economic empowerment (WEE), based on the large systematic review by Malhotra et al. (2024). It outlines strategies like vertical coordination, horizontal coordination, and upgrading, which aim to raise farmer incomes and expand women’s participation. Evidence from 118 studies in Africa and South Asia shows modest gains in women’s income, assets, and productivity, driven more by skills and inputs than market access. Yet women remain concentrated in low-value segments, and gender-targeted programs are not consistently more effective than gender-neutral ones. Overall, value chain interventions can strengthen women’s economic roles but have limited effects on deeper empowerment, pointing to the need for greater focus on participation and decision-making.