none 10.19103/AS.2024.0148.01 Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited 8180 181363355 4874923 2242117 20251003123055899 10.19103 2026-04-01T13:51:04Z 2025-08-26T10:44:13Z 0 20596936 Pennsylvania State University, USA Carolyn E. Sachs Paige Castellanos Oxfam America (OUS), USA here are an estimated 500 million smallholder farmers across the world, of which a considerable percentage of women. Despite their large numbers and important roles, women smallholders remain largely unsupported and their contribution to agriculture is often devalued because of their sex. Women and smallholder farming: Addressing global inequities in agriculture provides a comprehensive overview of the main obstacles and challenges women smallholders continue to face, such as restricted access to markets and education, as well as a lack of control over assets and property rights. The book also assesses the impact of sociocultural factors on women smallholder farmers in different regions around the world, including Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. In highlighting these issues, the book considers how key stakeholders across the agri-food supply chain can support, empower and sufficiently compensate women smallholder farmers for their contribution to agriculture. 09 23 2025 09 23 2025 9781801468053 Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited 10.19103/AS.2024.0148 https://shop.bdspublishing.com/store/bds/detail/workgroup/3-190-138366 GENDER Impact Platform – CGIAR, Kenya Caroline Muchiri Els Lecoutere GENDER Impact Platform – CGIAR, Kenya Nicoline de Haan GENDER Impact Platform – CGIAR, Kenya Women smallholder farmers across the globe play pivotal roles in enhancing global food security by contributing to food production, accessibility, stability and utilisation. These roles lack sufficient recognition in global food policies and are hindered by prevailing structural gender inequalities. These constraints are rooted in restrictive gender norms, disparities in access to and control over productive and complementary resources, disproportionate allocation of domestic responsibilities and limited agency. They collectively undermine the full potential of women’s contributions to sustainable food security. Challenging the discriminatory norms that weaken women’s capacities to produce and purchase sufficient and nutritious food requires targeted strategies to promote gender equality and empower women to achieve improved food security outcomes at the household, community and global levels. Accessing data from global datasets about women's contributions and challenges offers the necessary evidence to support their crucial role in attaining food security. 1 09 23 2025 09 23 2025 3 34 10.19103/AS.2024.0148.01 https://www.bdspublishing.com/webshop/chapters/crops/agri-food-systems/supporting-smallholders/the-role-of-women-smallholder-farmers-in-achieving-global-food-security-an-overview/ https://link.springer.com/10.19103/AS.2024.0148.01