Male outmigration, the globalization of agri-food systems, conflict, and pandemic human disease
have all been linked to changes in rural economies, changes in women’s roles in the agricultural
sector, and consequently to assertions that agriculture is “feminizing.” This review assesses the
global evidence surrounding the feminization of agriculture. First, it proposes a number of
indicators to track the feminization of agriculture, noting that although limited data exist for
some of the indicators, efforts should be expanded to collect data for all of them to provide better
diagnostics of women’s work in agriculture and their welfare. Next, it critically examines the
factors that may lead to the feminization of agriculture and evaluates the empirical evidence on
each factor worldwide. The review concludes by identifying policy imperatives based on the
evidence on women’s roles in agriculture in the context of rural transformation.