Beyond crops: gendered dimensions of livestock farming in West Africa

Gender disparities in access to productive assets remain a defining feature of agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. While gender gaps in crop productivity are well documented, evidence on livestock productivity remains limited. This paper examines gender differences in livestock productivity across eight WAEMU countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo – using two rounds of EHCVM data. To address selection bias associated with social norms, we combine regression analysis with entropy balancing. Results reveal a persistent productivity gap, with male livestock owners outperforming females. Recentered Influence Function (RIF) decomposition shows that unequal productive endowments largely explain this disparity. Policies enhancing women’s access to livestock inputs, services, and finance are essential for promoting gender equity and rural productivity growth.