Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approach
The study investigates the determinants of women’s empowerment utilizing data from the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey 2018, specifically through the construction of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index. Using structural equation modeling, it assesses how various indicators such as de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1547804/full |
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| author | Paresh Kumar Sarma Mohammad Jahangir Alam Ismat Ara Begum Dilshad Zahan Ethen Farzana Yeasmin Lin Crase Andrew M. McKenzie |
| author_facet | Paresh Kumar Sarma Mohammad Jahangir Alam Ismat Ara Begum Dilshad Zahan Ethen Farzana Yeasmin Lin Crase Andrew M. McKenzie |
| author_sort | Paresh Kumar Sarma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study investigates the determinants of women’s empowerment utilizing data from the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey 2018, specifically through the construction of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index. Using structural equation modeling, it assesses how various indicators such as decision-making, freedom of mobility, access to agricultural extension services, group membership, and birth control decisions contribute to women’s empowerment outcomes. This index is based on decision-making regarding production, resources, income, leadership, time use, and gender parity sub-index. The study employs structural equation modeling to explore the association among key indicators of women’s empowerment, including decision-making, freedom of mobility, access to agricultural extension services, group membership, and birth control decisions. Our findings reveal that access to agricultural extension services, freedom of mobility, group membership, birth control decisions, and decision-making all exert significant direct effects on women’s empowerment in Bangladesh. The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index itself is also significantly associated with these indicators, highlighting its role as a comprehensive measure. These results suggest that agricultural extension services can serve as a critical pathway to enhancing women’s empowerment. The research provides valuable insights for policymakers, donor agencies, academics, and extension workers to effectively allocate resources aimed at advancing women’s empowerment in developing countries like Bangladesh. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d1409708393a4f808ce4dbb73e64755b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2571-581X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems |
| spelling | doaj-art-d1409708393a4f808ce4dbb73e64755b2025-08-20T03:25:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2025-07-01910.3389/fsufs.2025.15478041547804Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approachParesh Kumar Sarma0Mohammad Jahangir Alam1Ismat Ara Begum2Dilshad Zahan Ethen3Farzana Yeasmin4Lin Crase5Andrew M. McKenzie6Department of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, BangladeshDepartment of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, BangladeshDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, BangladeshDepartment of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, BangladeshDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, BangladeshSchool of Business, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, AustraliaDepartment of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United StatesThe study investigates the determinants of women’s empowerment utilizing data from the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey 2018, specifically through the construction of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index. Using structural equation modeling, it assesses how various indicators such as decision-making, freedom of mobility, access to agricultural extension services, group membership, and birth control decisions contribute to women’s empowerment outcomes. This index is based on decision-making regarding production, resources, income, leadership, time use, and gender parity sub-index. The study employs structural equation modeling to explore the association among key indicators of women’s empowerment, including decision-making, freedom of mobility, access to agricultural extension services, group membership, and birth control decisions. Our findings reveal that access to agricultural extension services, freedom of mobility, group membership, birth control decisions, and decision-making all exert significant direct effects on women’s empowerment in Bangladesh. The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index itself is also significantly associated with these indicators, highlighting its role as a comprehensive measure. These results suggest that agricultural extension services can serve as a critical pathway to enhancing women’s empowerment. The research provides valuable insights for policymakers, donor agencies, academics, and extension workers to effectively allocate resources aimed at advancing women’s empowerment in developing countries like Bangladesh.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1547804/fullwomen’s empowermentstructural equation modelingWomen’s Empowerment in Agriculture IndexdeterminantsBangladesh |
| spellingShingle | Paresh Kumar Sarma Mohammad Jahangir Alam Ismat Ara Begum Dilshad Zahan Ethen Farzana Yeasmin Lin Crase Andrew M. McKenzie Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approach Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems women’s empowerment structural equation modeling Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index determinants Bangladesh |
| title | Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approach |
| title_full | Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approach |
| title_fullStr | Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approach |
| title_short | Measuring the determinants of women’s empowerment in agricultural index in Bangladesh: application of the structural equation modeling approach |
| title_sort | measuring the determinants of women s empowerment in agricultural index in bangladesh application of the structural equation modeling approach |
| topic | women’s empowerment structural equation modeling Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index determinants Bangladesh |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1547804/full |
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