The Role of Women's Leadership in Farmer-Based Organisations for Climate-Smart Agricultural Adoption in Ethiopia's Amhara Region, 2010–2025

This original research investigates the critical, yet understudied, role of women’s leadership within Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs) for promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) adoption in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region. It addresses the persistent gender gap in agricultural innovation by examining how women-led governance structures influence the uptake of CSA practices among smallholder farmers. Employing a sequential mixed-methods design, the study first analysed quantitative survey data from 300 randomly selected households across 15 FBOs. This was triangulated with qualitative data from 40 in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with leaders and members, conducted between 2020 and 2024. A comparative analysis of CSA adoption rates and perceived resilience was undertaken between FBOs with substantial female leadership representation and those with male-dominated committees. Key findings indicate that FBOs with women in pivotal leadership roles demonstrated a statistically significant higher adoption of specific CSA techniques, including soil conservation and agroforestry. Qualitative analysis reveals that women leaders prioritise gender-responsive resource access and effectively disseminate CSA knowledge through established women’s networks. The study concludes that empowering women within FBO governance is a strategic imperative for enhancing climate resilience in agri-food systems, beyond a mere equity concern. It recommends that agricultural policies and development programmes explicitly integrate leadership capacity building for women in FBOs to foster inclusive agricultural transformation.