Market Information Access and Women’s Participation in Irish Potato Marketing: A Structured Narrative Review

Women contribute substantially to potato production and post-harvest handling, yet they often enter markets with less information, weaker bargaining positions, and fewer productive assets than men. This structured narrative review examines how access to price, demand, buyer, quality, logistics, and risk information shapes women's participation in Irish potato marketing. Literature published between 2000 and 2025 was identified from major academic databases, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories. Potato-specific studies were prioritized, while broader evidence from smallholder agriculture and digital extension was used only to explain mechanisms where direct evidence was limited. The evidence indicates that market information can improve sales timing, market selection, price negotiation, and coordination of storage and transport. However, information availability alone is insufficient. Benefits depend on women's control of communication devices, literacy, mobility, time, working capital, group membership, and the reliability and actionability of the information received. Mobile platforms can widen reach, but radio, extension agents, and farmer organizations remain important for women with limited connectivity. Direct evidence on marketing intention is sparse; most studies measure access, use, commercialization, or participation and rely on cross-sectional designs. Causal claims should therefore be made cautiously. The review proposes a capability-based pathway in which information contributes to market participation only when women can access, understand, trust, and act on it. Policies should prioritize blended communication channels, local-language and voice-based services, gender-responsive extension, collective marketing, verified buyer networks, and links to storage, transport, finance, and risk-management services.