Gender-Inclusive Agricultural Value Chains and Market Systems

This chapter examines gender inclusion in agricultural value chains and market systems. It argues that women participate extensively in production, processing, grading, packaging, informal trade and wage labour, yet they are frequently concentrated in low-return and labour-intensive activities. Men often dominate asset ownership, transport, bulk marketing, formal contracts, financial negotiations and higher-value stages of value chains. The chapter analyses gendered barriers in access to land, finance, storage, market information, mobility, technology, certification, digital payments and business networks. It stresses that market inclusion should not be measured only by women’s participation in production, but by their ability to capture value, negotiate prices, manage enterprises and control income. The chapter recommends gender-sensitive value-chain mapping to identify where women work, where risks occur and where value is captured. It proposes collective procurement, women-led aggregation, local processing units, safe transport, storage facilities, digital market information, financial inclusion, training in negotiation and direct buyer linkages. It also highlights the importance of addressing harassment, exploitation, unpaid labour and market volatility. The chapter concludes that gender-inclusive market systems require structural changes that improve women’s bargaining power, safety, ownership, leadership and share of economic returns.