Policy interventions can help close the gender gap in agriculture and rural labour markets across a wide range of agricultural inputs, assets and services. Many steps are required by many different actors – governments, the international community, civil society, the private sector and individuals – but the basic principles are the same across the board: 

• eliminate discrimination under the law,
• promote equal access to resources and opportunities, 
• ensure that agricultural policies and programmes are gender-aware,
• and make women’s voices heard in decision-making at all levels.

The following recommendations reflect specific policies that can help close the gender gap in agriculture and rural employment, by focusing on interventions that alleviate constraints on agricultural productivity and rural development. Priority areas for reform include eliminating discrimination against women in access to agricultural resources, education, extension and financial services, and labour markets;  investing in labour-saving and productivity enhancing technologies and infrastructure to free women’s time for more productive activities; and facilitating the participation of women in flexible, efficient and fair rural labour markets