Social and economic inequalities between men and women result in less food being produced, less income being earned, and higher levels of poverty and food insecurity

As rural women often spend a large amount of their time on additional household obligations they have less time to spend on food production or other income opportunities. Women also have less access to markets than men which hamper their opportunities to earn an income even further, and thus their possibilities to be able to buy food. With fewer assets and heavier burdens, women are more vulnerable to shocks and less well positioned to respond to e.g. the effects of climate change or other rapid changes in the environment. Inequalities in ownership of, access to and control of livelihoods assets negatively affect women’s food production and food security. Tenure insecurity for women results in lower investment and potential environmental degradation. It compromises future production potential and increases food insecurity and reduces women´s income and the availability of food.