Women play important roles along the supply chain as producers or suppliers, providers of complementary services, distributors, and consumers. Companies can consider multiple points of entry in supporting gender equality across the value chain. 

(i) Increasing women’s access to inputs and financing. 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the  United Nations (FAO), women farmers have 20%–30%  lower yield than men farmers due to less access to productive  resources and opportunities.  An important productivity driver  is increasing access to agricultural inputs such as improved  seeds, fertilizer, equipment, and energy sources. Finance is  often the main constraint for women to obtain these inputs  and is therefore critical.  The gender gap in agricultural  productivity and underlying causes can vary widely from  country to country, and even within di™erent value chains in  the same country. Accordingly, assessing each value chain  separately is necessary.