Gendered Constraints to Rice Value Chain and Participatory Policy Processes: Evidence from Southern Nigeria

Abstract This research examined gendered constraints to the livelihood activities of rice value chain actors and the role of gender in shaping their participation in policymaking in southern Nigeria. Although rice has become a staple food for millions of people in Nigeria, the domestic supply remains insufficient to meet the demand. In addition to production-related constraints, limited stakeholder participation in policy decisions has been identified as a factor contributing to poor policy outcomes in Nigeria’s rice sector. With the need for participatory policies gaining traction in global development discourse, this research argues that understanding whether men and women face similar constraints in their value chain activities, and how gender shapes participation in policymaking will lead to better policy outcomes. The research provides the evidence from southern Nigeria, using quantitative data generated through questionnaires administered to 573 rice value chain actors. The data was analyzed using means and chi-square analysis. The results revealed statistically significant gender differences for the lack of experience on policy issues, low level of education, and lack of confidence between men and women. Women also faced greater exclusion from institutionalized platforms where agricultural policies are debated and shaped, reflected in the highly significant difference in the absence of formal consultation spaces between men and women. It concludes that women face greater structural constraints in both their enterprises and their participation in policymaking. The paper concludes that women are more constrained by production-related factors and participate disproportionately in policymaking compared to men. It recommends redesigning formal policymaking platforms to facilitate women’s sustained and meaningful participation rather than merely their symbolic inclusion.