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Understanding women’s time use in farming communities: Insights from the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index

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  • Abdu, Aishat
  • Malapit, Hazel J.
  • Go, Ara

Abstract

Agricultural programs targeting women may increase women’s work burdens and shift the distribution of work between productive and reproductive tasks. Complementary information on women’s sense of control over their time highlights additional benefits of agricultural programs beyond changes in women’s workloads. Despite program interventions, gender norms often persist, affecting how communities perceive work intensity and division of responsibilities between men and women. The relationship between women’s time use and nutrition is complex and interacts with mediating factors, requiring a multifaceted approach to program design and evaluation. Evidence linking time use data to nonfarm work is lacking, highlighting the need to leverage WEAI time use data to fill this critical gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdu, Aishat & Malapit, Hazel J. & Go, Ara, 2025. "Understanding women’s time use in farming communities: Insights from the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index," Other briefs 3, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:fpr:othbrf:174463
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    File URL: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174463
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johnston, Deborah & Stevano, Sara & Malapit, Hazel J. & Hull, Elizabeth & Kadiyala, Suneetha, 2018. "Review: Time Use as an Explanation for the Agri-Nutrition Disconnect: Evidence from Rural Areas in Low and Middle-Income Countries," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 8-18.
    2. Greg Seymour & Hazel Malapit & Agnes Quisumbing, 2020. "Measuring Time Use in Developing Country Agriculture: Evidence from Bangladesh and Uganda," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(3), pages 169-199, July.
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