Women’s role in agroforestry, food security, and livelihood: land ownership, decision-making power, and indigenous knowledge resilience

Abstract The practice of agroforestry is a fundamental element of sustainable land management, providing nature-based solutions (NBSs) to address environmental degradation, food insecurity, livelihood, and climate change resilience globally. While women are said to contribute substantially to agroforestry, they continue to face challenges due to social and cultural norms and economic constraints in Uganda. Therefore, this study investigated women’s involvement in Ugandan agroforestry practices to understand their roles and challenges, and to examine their impact on achieving SDGs related to poverty reduction and food security, gender equality, and environmental resilience. The study employed Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to explore women’s roles and perceptions of their involvement in agroforestry systems in Uganda. The research indicated that women play an essential role in agroforestry and sustainable land management, and possess the necessary indigenous knowledge in the sector; yet, they continue to face restricted decision-making authority. We noted that the success of enhanced agroforestry and equitable development requires addressing structural barriers through gender-sensitive, gender-centered policies, such as providing women and other vulnerable groups with access to resources and opportunities that enhance their decision-making capacity. The integration of gender considerations into agroforestry programs remains essential for Uganda and the world to achieve developmental goals.