Boosting Household Resilience to Food Insecurity and Women’s Empowerment through Climate-Smart Agriculture: Empirical Evidence from Kenya

This study examines the relationship between women’s empowerment and household resilience to food insecurity in the Horn of Africa, where 55.5 million people face acute food insecurity—women and children being the most affected. Using data from 613 farmers in Kenya’s Kitui, Laikipia, and West Pokot counties, all participants in the Women’s Economic Empowerment through Climate Smart Agriculture (WEE-CSA) project, the study developed two key indices: the Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) and the Resilience Capacity Index (RCI).

Using factor analysis and multiple indicators models, the study found that access to land was the strongest contributor to WEI, while household assets most significantly influenced RCI. Other key drivers of empowerment included participation in household decision-making, value chain commercialization, leadership and financial training, and access to individual credit.

The findings reveal a clear link: as women’s empowerment increases, so does household resilience. In turn, higher resilience leads to improved food security, demonstrated by increased household food expenditure among those with higher RCI scores.

The study recommends targeted policy interventions to enhance women’s access to land, credit, markets, and water infrastructure, while strengthening their participation in decision-making and climate action. Empowering women is critical not only for their own well-being but also for building resilient households and achieving long-term food security.