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This paper examines how gendered norms, informality, and structural inequalities govern women’s agency in tree-based forest and agroforestry products (TFAPs) value chains in Kenya, focusing on tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) and coconut (Cocos nucifera L.). It analyses how constraints affect women’s access to resources, decision-making, and opportunities to develop their TFAPs businesses, as well as how women respond through individual and collective strategies. Using qualitative methods (semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation) in Kilifi, Makueni, and Mombasa counties, the study finds that women play central roles across production, processing, and trade, but face persistent barriers related to insecure land and tree tenure, mobility restrictions, limited access to capital, and male-dominated governance. Women respond to these constraints through household negotiation, livelihood diversification, legal claims, and collective action. Integrating Feminist Economics, Feminist Political Ecology, and the Capabilities Approach, the study links everyday resilience strategies to capability expansion and inclusive value-chain governance.
Santos et al. (Sat,) studied this question.