This is a summary of a survey on stakeholder analysis in Malawi and Ghana in relation to the use of analysis tools for gender and youth equity in sustainable agriculture intensification investments. The survey was conducted in the framework of Africa RISING's Sustainable Agricultural Intensification Research and Learning in Africa (SAIRLA) program. It is part of first steps toward understanding how gender and youth equity can be fostered in SAI investments in Ghana and Malawi.

1. Summary on Stakeholder Analysis
in Ghana and Malawi
Africa RISING-SAIRLA Project
Ida Djenontin, Philip Grabowski, Judith Kamoto, Jessica Kamphanje-Phiri, Irene Egyir,
Akosua Darkwah, Gundula Fischer and Leo Zulu on behalf of SAIRLA
12/7/2017
There are some positive developments for women and youth in Ghana, as evidenced by the improved
commercialization of agricultural production and with the improved livelihoods of rural women and
youth. This is one of the many insights provided by a stakeholder analysis research conducted under the
Africa RISING SAIRLA project in Ghana and Malawi. Interviews of key managers and decision-makers of
institutions working in the agricultural sector and on gender/youth issues, including NGO, Donor,
Government, and Private sector agencies shed the light on various accounts of how women and youth
are being affected by agricultural interventions in which equity is being fostered.
Perspectives on agricultural changes and
their effects on women and youth
A stronger market and increasing efforts of the development community through development project
interventions are the main impetus of the positive changes in agriculture.
One important enabling factor for positive change is the shift in the dynamic of land access for women
and youth in Ghana, who now have the potential to rent land. This creates the opportunity to overcome
the longtime constraints of women to access productive resources under cultural rules that privilege
men for land inheritance and impose women’s use of land through marriage relationships.
Easy access to credit is also one major bolstering factor, with increase of lending institutions; although
women and youth still lack the collateral to benefit for credit loans. However, the risky nature of
agricultural business precludes, sometimes, the lending institutions to be accessible to women farmers.
Gender mainstreaming interventions, characterized by a plethora of training opportunities and
empowerment activities, gave momentum and provided the opportunity for these driving factors to
emerge. Affirmative actions and the promotion of gender dialogues with traditional leaders and men
have facilitated the changes in women’s access to land in some locations. The efforts to organizing
farmers in cooperative have supported their easy access to credit.

2. Much remains to be done to improve women’s access to extension services as stakeholders pointed out
the fact that extension agents are mostly men who do not relate well to female farmers’ needs. For the
youth, the remaining endeavors are to make agricultural entrepreneurships attractive and profitable, by
fostering mechanization, improved methods and processes, good transportations systems, and
availability of market.
Importance of working towards equity and
responsible stakeholders for achieving
equitable outcomes for gender and youth
in SAI processes
Stakeholders perceive strong importance of continuing to work towards achieving equitable
environment and benefits for women and youth. They point out the unique roles that women and youth
play in agriculture.
For many stakeholders, the party responsible for achieving equity are the women and youth themselves,
who are called to transform the existing opportunities for their empowerment. Others call on the
Ministry in charge of food and agriculture to be accountable for achieving equitable results in
agricultural interventions. In Malawi, stakeholders argue for a collective and multi-sectoral effort, but
mostly point out the crucial responsibility of the government.
The need of SAI and its expected effects on
women and youth
Stakeholders believe agricultural development should be intensified sustainably and they detailed an
interesting model and vision for SAI. The four main features of SAI portrayed by stakeholders include
having a business-orientation with the potential to generate employments, increasing mechanization,
improving environmental sustainability, and developing a climate smart approach. Equitable outcomes
from SAI requires empowering and building the capacity of women and youth in entrepreneurship and
agribusiness to avoid them lagging behind.
Effects on women and youth from promoting such SAI model would be the reduction of their burden
thanks to the mechanization, which will also attract the young people. Sustainable land management
practices in addition to climate smart technologies are seen as the means to preserve the productive
status of the land through several generations.
Government policies that underline the key role of women and youth in agriculture are called upon to
support positive SAI as well as good research on agricultural development.

3. Influence of key institutions in agriculture,
gender, and youth domains
The stakeholder analysis also provides insights on the perceived level of influence of various institutions
regarding agriculture. In Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is the most commonly mentioned
stakeholder as being highly influential, with its special unit called the Women in Agricultural
Development Directorate (WIAD). It is followed by development agencies, the private sector, the
governmental agencies, and the research institutions. According to stakeholders, it is important to work
toward the integration across ministries, such as the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection
and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Likewise, in Malawi, the Ministry of Agriculture is the most commonly listed agricultural stakeholder
with a high average influence scores for the agricultural sector. Donors, including mainly the World
Bank, FAO, and Irish Aid, are also the frequently mentioned stakeholders and seen as highly influential.
The most commonly listed non-governmental organizations are NASFAM (the National Smallholder
Farmers Association of Malawi), CISANET (Civil Society Agriculture Network) and the Farmers Union of
Malawi. Specific youth focused organizations are the most common stakeholders identified for youth
issues. Stakeholders in Malawi referred also to the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability, and Social
Welfare as well as to the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports.
The identification of key actors involved in agricultural intensification, gender empowerment, and youth
empowerment is an important step in targeting relevant decision-makers as the potential users of the
decision-making tools and indicators for gender and youth equity analysis in sustainable agricultural
intensification (SAI) being developed by the SAIRLA gender team.