Unequal fields: Gender access to agricultural resources and inclusive development in Ghana

Persistent gender inequalities in access to agricultural resources undermine inclusive development in Ghana. This study advances the literature by shifting the unit of analysis from household heads to individual farm operators and by integrating Economic Constraint Theory, Intersectionality, Feminist Political Ecology, the Matthew Effect, and Inclusive Development into a unified explanatory framework. Using a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design, we combine survey data from 532 randomly sampled farm operators with nine focus-group discussions in the Atwima Nwabiagya district. Quantitative analyses reveal glaring gender gaps in access to land, equipment, labour, and capital, with men substantially more likely to report high access. Interaction terms show that gendered disadvantages are amplified by factors such as livestock ownership, limited extension contact, and uneven uptake of training. Qualitative evidence links these patterns to patriarchal tenure arrangements, socio-cultural norms, and time burdens from communal and care work, which together reproduce cumulative disadvantage. Theoretically, the paper demonstrates how micro-level resource constraints and intersectional identities operate through reinforcing mechanisms that shape national-scale development outcomes. We conclude with targeted policy pathways such as gender-sensitive land reforms, equitable credit and extension strategies, and intersectional targeting to break cycles of exclusion and advance Ghana's progress toward SDGs (5 & 10) and inclusive development.