Advancing a feminist intersectional lens in gender transformative work with women smallholder farmers

Publication date: 06-10-2025
Extent: 22 pages

Contributions by: Diana E. Lopez, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, The Netherlands; Ekaterina Gualoto, SDW Hamburg e.V, Germany; and Rhiannon Pyburn, KIT Royal Tropical Institute, The Netherlands

Chapter synopsis:

Gender Transformative Approaches (GTAs) are increasingly used in development research and practice as a way to transform constraining gender norms that limit smallholder women’s engagement in agrifood systems. The literature on GTAs underscores the need to consider diverse identities and experiences in the design of interventions. Nevertheless, efforts to embed an intersectional lens into gender transformative work are fragmented, and operationalization of intersectionality is limited. Our literature review (2010-2023) confirms this: of 94 sources on key GTA publications, only 56 mention the need for intersectional considerations, with very few empirical studies. The limited use of an intersectional approach in gender transformative research and practice translates into a lack of empirical evidence. This chapter advances distinct ways to apply an intersectional lens to strengthen GTAs in agrifood systems; particularly, to the benefit of women smallholder farmers. Through critical examination of power structures, GTAs can pave the way for greater social justice.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2024.0148.19