Gender Monitoring Tools: Advancing Equity in Sustainable Agriculture

Gender equality is integral to achieving sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. Despite growing recognition of this, many organizations in the agrifood sector struggle to monitor their progress in addressing gender disparities.

To bridge this gap, the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) and the Alliance of Bioversity International-CIAT have developed a comprehensive report on gender-responsive monitoring tools. This joint effort provides essential guidance on how agrifood stakeholders can assess and advance gender inclusion in food systems, ensuring that sustainability initiatives lead to equitable outcomes for all.

Download the full report here

Women play vital roles in agricultural supply chains and rural communities. Monitoring gender dynamics effectively contributes to successful interventions and positive outcomes for gender inclusivity.

Why Gender Monitoring Matters in Agriculture

Agricultural systems are deeply gendered, shaping access to resources, decision-making power, and livelihood opportunities. Research shows that failing to consider gender dynamics can result in incomplete assessments and ineffective interventions. Women contribute significantly to agricultural labor, yet they continue to face structural disadvantages in land ownership, financial services, and leadership roles. Monitoring tools provide crucial insights that help identify these inequalities and inform policies that promote gender-inclusive practices.

According to Miranda Morgan, Gender Researcher at the Alliance of Bioversity International-CIAT, a lack of gender-sensitive approaches has led to gaps in understanding how agricultural systems function.

Reflecting on her own research experience, she noted, "When I started my PhD, I was focused on sustainable food systems, but after months of fieldwork, I realized I had only spoken to men. Women were present, working, and engaged in conversations, yet their voices were missing from the data I had collected. That realization was a turning point for me."

Miranda Morgan, Alliance of Bioversity International-CIAT

SAN’s Gender Monitoring Report highlights that organizations integrating gender-responsive strategies into their programs often see improved sustainability outcomes, including biodiversity conservation, enhanced food security, and stronger economic stability for farming communities. Gender monitoring provides the data-driven insights necessary to refine sustainability initiatives so they deliver equitable benefits.

Women walking along a rural road highlight the essential yet often overlooked role they play in agricultural systems, underscoring the need for more inclusive, gender-sensitive approaches in understanding and developing these systems.

Understanding Gender-Responsive Monitoring

As global efforts toward sustainable agriculture and food systems evolve, the need for gender-responsive monitoring has become increasingly evident. Ensuring equitable participation and benefits for women and men in agriculture requires not only well-intentioned policies but also robust monitoring frameworks that capture the complexities of gender dynamics.

Unlike conventional monitoring approaches, which often overlook gender disparities, gender-responsive monitoring aims to uncover structural inequalities and provide a clearer understanding of how policies and programs affect different demographic groups. A gender-responsive approach extends beyond collecting sex-disaggregated data; it systematically examines power relations, social norms, and institutional barriers that shape agricultural experiences for men and women.

According to Marlène Elias, Gender Lead at the Alliance of Bioversity International-CIAT, traditional monitoring methods often fail to capture the nuances of gender inequality.

"Quantitative indicators show us trends, such as the proportion of women who own land or access credit. But they don't tell us the full story. We need qualitative data to understand the lived experiences behind those numbers—what barriers exist, how perceptions are shifting, and what additional support is needed for meaningful change."

Marlène Elias, Alliance of Bioversity International-CIAT

To ensure a holistic and accurate representation of gender dynamics, gender-responsive monitoring frameworks must incorporate both quantitative and qualitative indicators. This approach enables stakeholders to track progress while understanding the lived experiences of individuals within agricultural systems.

Effective gender-responsive monitoring includes disaggregated data collection, ensuring data is analyzed through an intersectional lens considering factors such as ethnicity, age, economic status, and geographic location. It also requires a balance of qualitative and quantitative indicators, where numbers provide measurable benchmarks, but narrative-based methods—such as interviews and focus group discussions—offer deeper insights into how policies and interventions impact women and men differently.

Furthermore, monitoring must occur at multiple levels, including individual, household, community, and institutional dynamics. For example, an increase in women’s participation in agricultural training programs must be examined alongside whether these women gain decision-making power in their households or cooperatives.

Participatory methods are also essential, ensuring that women farmers and other marginalized groups define success and identify key indicators to capture progress and challenges.

Gender-responsive monitoring is not just about tracking numbers. It’s about understanding the deeper systemic issues that shape gender inequalities in agriculture and ensuring that our interventions lead to transformative change.

The Importance of Gender-Responsive Monitoring for Sustainable Agriculture

Achieving sustainability in agriculture requires more than just ecological and economic considerations. Gender equality is a fundamental pillar of resilient and productive agrifood systems. Yet, gender disparities in agricultural access, decision-making, and resource control persist. Gender-responsive monitoring is crucial for ensuring that sustainability initiatives benefit all stakeholders equitably.

Recognizing this need, SAN and the Alliance of Bioversity International-CIAT have developed a comprehensive approach to integrating gender perspectives into agricultural monitoring frameworks.

Gender-responsive monitoring ensures that agricultural policies and interventions are designed with gender considerations in mind and that their effectiveness is measured in ways reflecting the lived experiences of women and men in agrifood systems. Without this monitoring, well-intended programs risk perpetuating existing inequalities rather than mitigating them.

Marlène Elias emphasizes, "Gender-responsive monitoring is not just about tracking numbers. It’s about understanding the deeper systemic issues that shape gender inequalities in agriculture and ensuring that our interventions lead to transformative change."

One of the key benefits of gender-responsive monitoring is its ability to identify barriers to women’s full participation in agriculture. These barriers often include limited access to land, financial services, training, and decision-making power. Tracking gender-disaggregated data enables organizations to pinpoint inequalities and implement targeted solutions. Additionally, gender-responsive monitoring allows for real-time program adjustments, ensuring benefits are equitably distributed.

Miranda Morgan highlights, "One of the challenges we encountered was the overwhelming number of gender indicators available. Many organizations feel lost in selecting the right ones. Our work helps streamline this process by providing a curated list of nearly 400 indicators that are practical and relevant to agrifood stakeholders."

Moving Forward: Implementing Gender-Responsive Monitoring

For agriculture to be truly sustainable, it must be inclusive. Gender-responsive monitoring ensures that agricultural programs and policies equitably benefit women and men, allowing stakeholders to measure progress and make necessary adjustments. However, successful implementation requires structured, multi-level approaches that embed gender equity into sustainability strategies.

Organizations must integrate gender-responsive monitoring into their core sustainability frameworks, ensuring that both quantitative and qualitative data inform decision-making. Stakeholder collaboration across different governance levels—including governments, private sector actors, NGOs, and local farming communities—is essential for effective implementation.

By incorporating gender-responsive indicators into national and regional agricultural policies, governments can ensure sustainability efforts are equitable and impactful. This alignment strengthens food security, climate resilience, and rural development, benefiting entire communities.

As Marlène Elias aptly put it, "This is not just a gender issue. It’s about understanding agricultural systems better, making more informed decisions, and improving outcomes for everyone."

To learn more about integrating gender monitoring into sustainability strategies, download the full report. Together, we can build equitable, resilient, and sustainable food systems for all.