In the fields where tradition meets transformation, Kenya’s women farmers are planting more than vegetables; they are sowing the seeds of power, dignity, and change.
By Staff Writer | Ethical Business
In the green heartlands of Kenya, a quiet revolution is unfolding. Long dismissed as “women’s crops,” African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs), such as amaranth, African nightshade, and jute mallow, are no longer just staples for the family pot. They are emerging as hot commodities in urban markets, stocked on supermarket shelves, and increasingly turned into sources of profit.
But as the value of these humble greens rises, so does a troubling trend: the very women who have cultivated them for generations are being pushed to the margins of the profits.
A new study by Deißler, Krause, and Grote (2024) dives deep into this transformation, surveying 706 smallholder households across Kenya. What they found is both sobering and hopeful. Commercialisation, while promising, has opened the door to a gendered power shift – one that sees men stepping in to take over the financial reins just as AIVs become lucrative.
Yet this is not just a story of loss. It is also a roadmap to empowerment.
The bitter harvest of commercial success
Traditionally, AIVs were grown in backyard plots for household use; often the only crops women had full control over. But today, with rising urban demand and shifting market dynamics, they’re becoming serious business. And business, historically, has not favored women.
The research shows women still shoulder 70–80% of AIV production and sales. But once the profits roll in, men start asserting control. On average, men earn KSh 20,988 (USD 200) per season from AIVs; nearly double what women take home. Even when women remain the visible sellers at local markets, the money often flows into male-dominated accounts once the vegetables leave their hands.
Worse still, there is a distinct “income threshold effect.” When AIV earnings cross KSh 12,000 (USD 115) per season, the probability of male takeover sharply increases. In short, the more valuable the crop becomes, the more women’s control is eroded.
When women lead, families flourish
But the story doesn’t end with disempowerment. The study goes further, revealing something crucial: when women do retain control, through land rights, education, or decision-making power, their households thrive.
Nutrition improves. Households where women had greater empowerment scored higher on the Food Consumption Score, a key indicator of dietary diversity. Meals were more balanced, and children had better access to vital nutrients.
Education gets a boost. Empowered women spent an average of KSh 33.6 more per household member on education. For low-income families, that’s the difference between basic schooling and dropout. It’s a consistent global pattern: when women control resources, they invest in their children’s futures.
And women keep more of what they earn. Those with greater bargaining power retained 35% more income from AIV sales, translating directly to greater independence and household stability.
These outcomes reaffirm a truth long championed by development experts: empowering women does not just uplift individuals – it transforms entire communities.
What’s holding women back?
The study pinpoints three key levers of empowerment – and the barriers blocking access:
- Land Ownership
Land is power. Women who own it have more say in household decisions. But in Kenya, only 1% of land titles are held solely by women; a glaring inequality that stifles their economic potential. - Education
Women with higher levels of education not only earn more but command more respect in household negotiations. Yet many women still lack access to basic education, let alone adult literacy or agri-training programs. - Off-Farm Work
Paradoxically, women who work outside the farm reported lower empowerment. Juggling multiple jobs may leave them with less time and energy to assert their needs at home.
Add to this the weight of cultural and religious norms, particularly in male-headed or Muslim households, and the path to empowerment becomes even more complex.
What can be done? Policy lessons from the soil
The commercialisation of AIVs isn’t a lost cause for women; it is an opportunity to redesign agricultural systems with equity in mind. The researchers offer four clear action points for policymakers and development practitioners:
- Secure women’s land rights
Land reform laws must protect women’s rights to own and inherit land. Community-level titling programs should explicitly include and prioritize women. - Boost education and agri-skills
Tailored training, literacy initiatives, and digital farming advisories can give women the tools – and the confidence – to thrive in commercial agriculture. - Build women-centered market pathways
Support women’s cooperatives, direct-to-market schemes, and financial literacy training. Let women stay in control of the value chain they built. - Track gender impacts of market growth
As AIV markets expand, so must gender-sensitive monitoring. Who is really benefiting from commercialisation? If the answer is not “women,” interventions must follow.
Cultivating equity: A harvest worth protecting
Kenya’s indigenous vegetables hold more than nutritional value. They are vessels of tradition, carriers of culture – and now, vehicles of economic growth. But unless women’s roles are protected and elevated, the promise of AIV commercialisation will wither on the vine.
This research draws a powerful conclusion: women’s empowerment is not a side benefit of development: it is the engine. When women control land, income, and decisions, entire households gain. Children eat better, stay in school longer, and families weather financial storms with greater resilience.
In the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals, from zero hunger to gender equality, Kenya’s experience offers a poignant lesson: the roots of progress run deepest when women hold the seeds.
