Enhancing Food Security through Gender-Inclusive Empowerment: A Localized Model for Rural Farming Households

Abstract

Food insecurity persists in rural Indonesia despite agricultural abundance, disproportionately affecting women in farming households. This study investigates the interplay of food security, gender inclusion, and women’s empowerment among 296 pineapple farming households in East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. Employing a cross-sectional design, data were collected via structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), a Localized Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (LWEAI), and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that access to credit and market information significantly reduces food insecurity, while larger household sizes increase vulnerability. Gender inclusion strongly predicts empowerment, enhancing women’s autonomy and leadership, though food insecurity undermines both. The LWEAI, tailored to local contexts, and PLS-SEM’s robust analysis offer novel frameworks for understanding these dynamics. Findings advocate for gender-responsive policies – such as women-targeted microcredit and extension services – to strengthen food security and equity, aligning with Indonesia’s national development goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 5.