New pathways for female farmers to access agricultural technology in Kenya

In Kenya, women farmers represent a significant proportion of the agricultural workforce, contributing to about 40% of agricultural labor in sub-Saharan Africa (Palacios-Lopez et al., 2017). However, they face unique gender-specific barriers that reduce their productivity including limited access to agricultural technologies and information. Studies indicate that male farmers generally adopt new technologies at higher rates than women, despite the potential productivity benefits (Hirpa Tufa et al., 2022 and Udry, 1996). This disparity is partly due to cultural norms, where female farmers may be discouraged from direct interaction with male extension agents (Quisumbing and Pandolfelli, 2010), leaving them with less support in adopting and using new techniques. Kenyan women farmers also face a lack of physical access to new technologies due to limited mobility and child-rearing duties.

Kenya’s reliance on maize, which makes up 85% of the country’s cereal production, further complicates the issue as maize is highly drought-prone. This dependence underscores the need for resilient crops, especially in drier regions like Murang’a County where low rainfall poses a constant risk to yields.

To address these challenges, peer-extension models are considered. The peer-extension models are approaches commonly implemented by various actors including public agricultural extension services, NGOs and community organizations to promote agricultural technologies in developing countries. In this case, Wilfrid Laurier University is exploring the adaptation of these models to ensure their applicability in the local context. When led by women, these models have shown potential to improve technology adoption among female farmers, though results have varied in trials in Uganda and Malawi (Kondylis et al., 2016).

This project aims to evaluate the impact of female-led peer extension and community-elected lead farmers on agricultural technology adoption among Kenyan women. Rather than relying on male extension agents or local leaders to appoint trainers, the project tests two interventions:

• Female-led agricultural training, a peer extension model in which communities elect women as lead farmers, aims to improve access to agricultural information and enhance technology adoption.

• The democratic election process encouraging community buy-in and helping to reduce cultural stigmas often associated with female trainers.

Female farmers tend to connect better with other women, so community-elected female lead farmers will deliver peer-led training on improved, drought-tolerant crops like cassava and high-iron beans. This community-driven model empowers female farmers, enhancing productivity and resilience through accessible, culturally relevant training.

FID will coordinate quarterly calls with the project team ensuring that all partner organizations participate. These calls will include a session scheduled within one month after the submission of each main technical deliverable providing an opportunity for feedback and alignment on progress and next steps.

The project aims to demonstrate that a community-driven model combined with female-led peer extension can empower female farmers and increase agricultural resilience through the adoption of improved cassava and high-iron bean varieties. Initial pilot activities reveal strong community engagement and effective knowledge transfer from lead farmers to their peers.

In the short term, this model seeks to empower communities by involving them in the election of lead farmers and build capacity through Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Institute training programs. With increased access to and knowledge of drought-resistant cassava and nutrient-rich high-iron beans, female farmers should adopt these crops leading to climate-resilient and sustainable farming practices.

Longer-term impacts include enhanced household welfare through new income opportunities, as female farmers will have surplus crops to either sell or consume. By supporting female farmers in generating income, the project also seeks to increase their household bargaining power, further empowering women in the community.

The success of this approach may provide a scalable model for promoting various agricultural technologies, contributing to food security and improved livelihoods for women farmers in the region.