Gender empowerment and parity in East Africa: evidence from climate-smart agriculture in Ethiopia and Kenya

The aim of this study is to understand the role of climate-smart villages (CSVs) in promoting gender empowerment and equality in East Africa. This paper uses data collected from 280 and 305 randomly selected farm household heads in Doyogena (Ethiopia) and Nyando (Kenya), respectively. To analyse the data, the gender empowerment index for climate resilient agriculture (GEI-CRA) and the gender parity index (GPI) were constructed based on guidelines from the literature. In both Doyogena and Nyando, households in CSVs scored higher GEI. Comparing men and women in the CSVs, women were found to be more empowered compared to men and comparing between the two sites, household heads in Doyogena were more empowered than those in Nyando. Regarding gender parity index (GPI), in both sites, majority of the women in the empowered households in CSVs were either at equal status with men or even at higher status than men. These findings shed light on the potential of CSVs in enhancing gender empowerment and promoting gender equality. The positive contribution of CSVs may guide policymakers to scale up these practices with a better-targeted approach that recognize and adequately address the implementation of CSA practices so that men and women can equally benefit.

Automated summary

The aim of this study is to understand the role of climate-smart villages (CSVs) in promoting gender empowerment and equality in East Africa. Data collected from farm household heads in Doyogena (Ethiopia) and Nyando (Kenya) were analyzed, and it was found that households in CSVs scored higher in gender empowerment index. Women in CSVs were found to be more empowered compared to men, and there was a significant difference in empowerment between the two sites, with Doyogena households having higher empowerment levels. The study highlights the potential of CSVs in enhancing gender empowerment and promoting gender equality.