Women Farmers’ Access to Integrated Livestock Extension Services and the Impact on Livelihoods in Bangladesh

This paper evaluates the impacts that agricultural extension projects had on household income and farm livelihoods based on livestock, vegetable, and fisheries when they increased women farmers’ access to improved technologies and advisory services. This study utilizes crosssectional data of 1,682 households, collected in 2016, from 29 rural villages in two vulnerable districts of Bangladesh. Using a propensity score matching (PSM) method, we find that agricultural extension projects increased beneficiaries’ monthly income (expenditure) and the likelihood of having poultry and planting a vegetable garden and varieties. However, we cannot find the project impact on the possession and quantity of larger animals and fisheries within the household, as both activities were often considered to be men’s responsibility. Our main findings imply that reaching women farmers with advanced technologies and advisory services would improve beneficiaries’ food security and dietary diversity