The phenomenon of single women and female heads of household is widespread in the Nicaraguan countryside. It is estimated that 34% of rural households are headed by women and this proportion increases in the poorest strata. The participation of women in productive agricultural activities also increases with the degree of poverty and can make up more than 50% of the workforce. In spite of the massive participation of rural women in productive processes, rural women’s access to productive assets such as land, credit, technical assistance, and inputs remains marginal in most of the regions of … [Read more...]