The role of women’s empowerment and participation in social networks in orienting small farms to the market: evidence from Central and Eastern European countries

Purpose The aim of the research is to operationalise the notion of women’s empowerment in agriculture and to assess the effect of women’s empowerment on the marketisation of small farms, comparing emerging markets of different development levels – less developed Serbia and Moldova with more advanced economies. The study will also conceptually bridge the framework of the self-efficacy concept with the theory of social embeddedness. Design/methodology/approach We combine qualitative identification of different models of women’s empowerment and social involvement with quasi-experimental, multi-value treatment effect analysis. Data were collected via semi-structured surveys conducted on 3,172 small farms in Lithuania, Romania, Poland, Serbia and Moldova. Findings We conclude that, when viewed solely in terms of decision-making power, women’s empowerment may not be sufficient for building a market orientation and that a high level of women’s participation in social networks is decisive. Originality/value We posit that there is a significant knowledge gap in how the definition of women’s empowerment is operationalised within the agricultural sector. We address this issue by applying Bandura’s self-efficacy framework. We then examine how self-efficacy, as reflected by various women’s empowerment conditions, influences the marketisation of small farms. In this way, we make a conceptual contribution, revealing that self-efficacy can be more effective when embedded in a social network context, as referred to in the theory of embeddedness. From a practical perspective, we contribute to discussions about achieving the gender equality Sustainable Development Goal.