Gender and Agricultural Commercialization in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Three Panel Surveys

Abstract

Agricultural commercialization is often promoted as a key driver of development in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet its benefits may not extend equally to all farmers. Using longitudinal household data from the LSMS-ISA and a two-way Mundlak fixed effects estimator, we examine the relationship between farmers' gender and agricultural commercialization in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. In Ethiopia and Nigeria, women-headed households and those with a higher share of women-managed land face substantial disadvantages in market engagement, particularly in households oriented towards self-consumption. Interestingly, in both countries, women-headed households that do engage in sales are more likely to sell to market buyers and less likely to sell to individual buyers compared to men-headed households. In contrast, in Tanzania, the negative associations between gender and commercialization are weaker and less robust across outcomes. Overall, these findings demonstrate that gender gaps in commercialization are highly context-specific rather than universal, highlighting the need for country-tailored policies that address the institutional and market constraints faced by women farmers.