Modern agrotechnology, women’s empowerment and poverty reduction nexus: Mediation of farm performance; empirical evidence on BAU-STR dryer

• Smallholders enhance farm performance using modern agrotechnology, particularly the BAU-STR dryer. • Smallholders’ farm performance is vital to their empowerment and poverty reduction. • Women’s empowerment can be a crucial means of poverty reduction. • Farm performance bridges modern agrotechnology with women’s empowerment and poverty reduction. • Women’s empowerment links farm performance and poverty reduction. Modern agrotechnology can play a crucial role in fostering growth and development in developing countries, where smallholder farmers face persistent poverty, and female farmers often occupy a disadvantaged societal position with limited access to such technology. This study explores the impacts of modern agrotechnology—particularly the BAU-STR dryer—on farm performance, women’s empowerment and poverty reduction. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to validate the research model, using data collected from 176 Bangladeshi smallholder female farmers through face-to-face interviews based on a structured interview schedule. The empirical results from the SEM analysis reveal that (i) modern agrotechnology’s use, specifically the BAU-STR dryer, significantly and positively impacts farm performance, but it is not statistically directly related to women’s empowerment and poverty reduction; (ii) farm performance significantly positively influences both women’s empowerment and poverty reduction; (iii) women’s empowerment has a direct and positive effect on poverty reduction; (iv) farm performance mediates the impact of modern agrotechnology on women’s empowerment and poverty reduction. Policies should focus on encouraging and enabling female farmers to access modern agrotechnology, such as BAU-STR dryers. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of modern agrotechnology and its interconnected impacts on farm performance, women’s empowerment and poverty reduction in developing countries.