4 priorities for increasing women’s access to farmland

Women’s land rights are a critical but often overlooked dimension of the world’s efforts to empower rural women economically.

Strengthening women’s land rights generates important economic benefits - increasing land value and agricultural productivity, promoting access to inputs and increasing off-farm incomes. It also creates ripple effects in the social sphere, increasing women’s bargaining power for women within the household and community, reducing domestic violence, and improving nutrition and education among children.

However, women’s land rights need to become a key priority. Evidence from 53 countries indicates that over 70% of women do not own any land, highlighting the pervasive exclusion of women in rural settings. Here are four essential considerations to advance this agenda.

Titling vs. land tenure
Given the various ways women can own land—formally or informally, individually or collectively, on private or communal land—focusing on land tenure security rather than just formal land titles is essential. Integrating women into decision-making institutions, such as land management committees and land tribunals, helps shift social norms, supports women's rights, and ultimately enhances their capacity to contribute to their households and communities.

Ownership and climate action
Land tenure security also plays a major role in boosting climate-smart agriculture and investments. When women have formalized or documented land rights, they are more likely to secure financing, implement measures to mitigate climate disasters, and experiment with climate-smart techniques. In Rwanda, women with regular land titles are twice as likely to invest in soil conservation, while the same holds for water conservation in Ethiopia.

Awareness is foundational
Empowering women with knowledge and legal awareness can lead to significant improvements for them. A project in India that built legal awareness among female farmers significantly advanced their land rights and agricultural entitlements. Training on land usage, ownership, and formal rights documentation enabled close to 9,000 women to access inheritance rights, 7,500 to claim public support, and 2,575 to adopt sustainable farming practices. Around 40% of participants secured land within three months.

Integrating agricultural training and land rights
Combining agricultural training with land rights initiatives can affect gender stereotypes. This powerful approach is evident in Senegal, where a World Bank Land Rights program is making a tangible impact. The program helps women lay claim to their land by enhancing their farming skills, demonstrating their ability to farm effectively, and boosting their standing within the community.

Addressing gender equality in agriculture requires us to address the structural factors that lead women into poverty.

Of all the inequalities women face globally, the stark disparity in women's access to fertile land isn’t just profoundly shocking. It also creates significant imbalances that hinder social and economic development. By ensuring women have equal access to fertile land, we can pave the way for more equitable growth and stronger, more resilient societies.