Male-headed homes more food secure, female-headed homes happier-study reveals

A study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies has found that male-headed households are more food secure, with higher dietary diversity and lower levels of food insecurity.

The research examined gender differences in food security and subjective wellbeing among cocoa farming households in Ghana, using survey data from a 2023 multistage sample of 458 households.

The findings show that male-headed households not only achieve better food security outcomes but also benefit from larger farm sizes, higher asset values, improved access to credit, stronger participation in farmer-based organisations, and greater adoption of climate-smart agricultural practice.

However, female-headed households report higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness despite having fewer resources.

This suggests that subjective wellbeing is shaped by factors beyond material wealth, including social support, access to networks, and differing benchmarks for wellbeing.

The study further highlights variations across agroecological zones and disparities in resource endowments, including asset ownership, farm size, credit access, organisational membership, and the adoption of climate-smart practices.

Researchers, including Prof. Bright Owusu Asante of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) and Stephen Prah, an alumnus of the College, emphasised that programmes aimed at improving food security must account for gender-specific constraints and capabilities.

They also stressed that subjective wellbeing should be recognised as a key development outcome, rather than treated as a byproduct of improved material conditions.