Impact of Gender-Based Agricultural Decision-Making on Household Food Security: Evidence From Makalu Rural Municipality, Sankhuwasabha, Nepal

Abstract

Food insecurity remains a persistent challenge in the mountain regions of developing countries, shaped by intra-household gender dynamics and structural resource constraints. Grounded in Feminist Political Economy (FPE) and Intra-Household Bargaining Theory (IHBT), this study examines how women’s participation in agricultural decision-making influences household food security in Makalu Rural Municipality, Sankhuwasabha district, Nepal. Using census data from 3,075 farming households drawn from the National Sample Census of Agriculture (2021/22), the study analyzes the relationship between women’s decision-making roles and both the likelihood and duration of household food insecurity through binary logistic and ordinal regression models. Contrary to conventional expectations, increased female participation in decision-making is associated with higher odds of food insecurity (OR = 1.534, p < 0.001) and longer periods of food shortages (OR = 1.428, p < 0.001). However, structural factors significantly shape these outcomes: land ownership (OR = 0.822, p < 0.001) and access to agricultural training (OR = 0.732, p = 0.002) are linked to reduced food insecurity risks. The findings suggest that decision-making power alone does not ensure improved food security without adequate resource access. Women’s participation may reflect coping strategies under economic stress rather than genuine empowerment. Policy interventions should therefore prioritize equitable land rights and gender-inclusive agricultural extension services to strengthen household food security.