Ivory Coast women gain land ownership through rubber tree farming, challenging gendered land access barriers

The shift in women's land ownership in Ivory Coast through rubber tree farming is a promising but partial step toward gender equity in agriculture.

This change must be supported by legal reforms that recognize women's independent land rights, as seen in successful models in India and Kenya. Historical analysis shows that colonial land policies have long excluded women from formal land ownership, and this exclusion is reinforced by patriarchal norms and legal frameworks. Cross-cultural perspectives reveal that Indigenous and traditional land governance systems often support women's land access more equitably. Scientific evidence underscores the economic benefits of women's land ownership, but these benefits are maximized when combined with access to credit, training, and markets. Marginalized voices, particularly those of rural women and Indigenous communities, must be included in land policy discussions to ensure that reforms are inclusive and culturally appropriate. Future land governance in Ivory Coast should integrate these systemic insights to create a more just and sustainable agricultural economy.