Combinations of CSA methods and better access for women improve food security and reduce multidimensional poverty

Key Messages

• Bundled CSA practices outperform single practices: Farmers adopting multiple CSA practices experience substantially larger gains in food security and poverty reduction than those adopting only one practice.
• Gender matters beyond household headship: Women’s access to credit, resource control, and information significantly influences CSA adoption and outcomes, while female headship alone is insufficient.
• Mixed cropping and organic manure are particularly powerful: These practices, especially when combined, deliver strong food security and nutrition benefits and are widely adopted.
• Integrated CSA strategies reduce multidimensional poverty: The most comprehensive CSA bundles reduce multidimensional poverty by over four percentage points compared to non-adopters.
• Extension and finance systems are not gender-neutral: Existing extension services and financial mechanisms may unintentionally limit women’s effective participation in CSA adoption.