Measuring women’s empowerment in agriculture with survey-based and experimental economics method

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Author(s)/editor(s)

Dimitrievski Dragi, PhD, “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” University in Skopje, Drichoutis Andreas, PhD, University of Athens, Georgiev Nenad, PhD, “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” University in Skopje, Gjosevski Dragan, PhD , “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” University in S

The study is part of the project "Measuring women’s empowerment in agriculture with survey-based and experimental economics method", a joint cooperation between the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food in Skopje and UN Women in North Macedonia.

The overall goal of the project was to contribute to the empowerment of women in rural areas and increase their participation and leadership in the agricultural sector through,

1. Identifying the key determinants of disempowerment which will be targeted in enhancement support programs,

2. Revising the agriculture and rural development policy to better address gender inequalities.

To achieve the project goal, behavioral and experimental economics framework was used through the abbreviated - women’s empowerment index in agriculture measuring empowerment in five domains: production, resources, income, leadership and time allocation, as well as gender sensitive analysis of the policy and the budgetary transfers in agriculture and rural development (Alkaire, et al. 2013).

In addition, as a novel approach to the methodology, women’s decision-making power was measured (Forsythe, et al. 1994; Engel 2011). This evidence-based approach proved to be valuable to effectively improve the design and implementation of government policies and programs.