A CGE Analysis of Gender Disparities in Productivity in Nigeria’s Agriculture Sector

Based on the National Food Security Program (NFSP), this study examines both the impact of gender disparities in productivity in the Nigerian agriculture sector and the policy interventions that have attempted to close this gap. We use a CGE model and Nigeria’s updated social accounting matrix (SAM) for these analyzes. The results show that gender disparities in productivity cause aggregate agricultural output and real GDP to be 6.6% and 2.4% lower, respectively, then a baseline with no gender disparities in productivity. In terms of interventions, increasing capital supply to women farmers via access to farm inputs increases the output of farming men and women, but disproportionately favors women farmers. It also leads to higher real GDP and household welfare but results in higher agricultural prices and an unfavorable agriculture trade balance. On the other hand, public investment in infrastructure and tariffs on importation of agricultural commodities are not effective in bridging gender disparities in productivity. While the government should improve access to critical farm inputs for women farmers to bridge gender disparities in productivity and enhance household welfare, further interventions would be required to bring about food security