The association between women’s empowerment in agriculture and child stunting in Malawi

Abstract

Abstract Although empowering women in agriculture is identified as a potential pathway for addressing high prevalence of malnutrition in Malawi, evidence on the association between empowerment and child nutrition remains limited. The study assessed the association between women’s empowerment and child stunting in three districts of Malawi. Data were collected using a case-control design from 847 children aged 6–59 months and their mothers. Empowerment was measured using the project-level Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index, while data on child stunting were collected using anthropometric measurements. Logistic regression results showed that adequacy in self-efficacy was associated with a 1.7% point higher probability of stunting, while ownership of land and other assets reduced probability of stunting by 14.7% points. Mother’s marital status and schooling were associated with 15.9 and 1.3 lower percentage points of stunting, while child’s age increased percentage points of stunting by 0.7. The findings suggest the need for women’s empowerment programs to bundle nutrition-sensitive interventions and education to contribute to improved child nutrition. Actionable gender components such as asset security, workload management, and decision-spaces are also recommended.