The Importance of Gender Equality for Living Incomes in Smallholder Farming Communities

Authors: Sally Smith and Anny Stoikova (ISEAL)

ABSTRACT

Companies in agriculture are increasingly including living income goals in their sustainability strategies. However, the links between gender equality and living income are often missed. To address this gap, the Anker Research Institute has produced a paper with the Living Income Community of Practice exploring why gender equality matters for living income. Based on decades of research, insights from practitioners, and a survey of companies sourcing from smallholder farmers, the paper highlights the multiple benefits of addressing gender inequalities in smallholder farming communities – and the human rights risks of not doing so. It provides a step-by-step framework to help companies adopt gender-transformative approaches that foster gender equality and decent livelihoods in farming communities, which in turn builds resilience in global supply chains