Women's Agricultural Participation and Household Food Security in Rural Cameroon: Evidence from National Survey Data

Abstract In many agrarian economies, female agricultural labour constitutes a critical foundation of household food systems. However, the extent to which women’s participation in agriculture improves household food security remains insufficiently quantified at the national level in Cameroon. This study examines the relationship between women’s agricultural participation and household food security using nationally representative secondary data from the Fourth Cameroon Household Survey. The study employs a logistic regression framework to estimate the probability of household food security while controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and institutional factors. The findings reveal that women’s agricultural participation has a positive and statistically significant effect on household food security. Specifically, households with active female participation in agriculture are approximately 8.7 percentage points more likely to be food secure than households without such participation. Female decision-making authority in agricultural production increases the probability of food security by nearly 12 percentage points, while access to land, extension services, and agricultural credit further strengthen food security outcomes. The interaction between female participation and land size is also positive and significant, indicating that access to productive resources amplifies the welfare gains from women’s participation. The study concludes that enhancing women’s productive inclusion and empowerment in agriculture is not only a gender equity concern but also a critical pathway toward improving rural food security in Cameroon. It recommends gender-responsive agricultural reforms that expand women’s access to land, credit, and extension services. Keywords: Women in agriculture; Food security; Rural households; Gender and development; Agricultural productivity