1.1 The Evidence for the Impact of Infrastructure on Nutritious Diets, Women’s Economic Empowerment, and Gender Equality Is Unevenly Distributed and Under-Reviewed
This evidence and gap map (EGM) shows the available evidence and gaps in the evidence on the impact of physical infrastructure for agriculture, food production, and marketing on nutritious diets, women’s economic empowerment, and gender equality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA) regions. The evidence is not evenly distributed by geography and outcome domains. There is significant evidence on food production infrastructure and nutritious diets, but little evidence on the impact of infrastructure on women’s economic empowerment and gender equality. Much of the evidence in the EGM is non-experimental evaluation.
1.1.1 What Is the EGM About?
Emerging evidence shows that infrastructure for agriculture, food production, and marketing plays a vital role in supporting women’s economic empowerment, gender equality, and food security by reducing seasonal food price fluctuations and improving access to nutritious food in LMICs in SSA. However, these regions also suffer from the largest infrastructure deficits globally. Decision-makers lack adequate evidence to guide infrastructure investments, scale-ups, renovations, and advocacy efforts.
This EGM presents available evidence and gaps on the impact of physical infrastructure for agriculture, food production, and marketing on nutritious diets, women’s economic empowerment, and gender equality among low-income consumers (LICs) in LMICs in SSA and SA regions.
1.1.2 What Studies Are Included?
The EGM includes 342 studies (337 completed and 5 ongoing), covering impact, process, formative, and summative evaluations, as well as qualitative and non-experimental studies, systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and other reviews published over the last two decades.
Infrastructure is defined by four categories:
- 1.Production infrastructure encompasses facilities for agricultural production (e.g., irrigation systems, on-farm energy sources);
- 2.Post-production infrastructure includes facilities used for either (i) storing, processing, and marketing agricultural products and (ii) ensuring the supply of healthy foods in safe environments (e.g., cold rooms, processing facilities, marketing facilities);
- 3.Distribution infrastructure includes facilities for transporting agricultural inputs and products (e.g., roads, railways);
- 4.Information infrastructure consists of facilities for the dissemination of information to producers and consumers of agricultural products (e.g., radio stations and telecommunication).
1.1.3 What Are the Main Findings of This EGM?
The majority of studies focus on Eastern Africa, West Africa, and SA, with Central Africa being the least studied. Ethiopia is the most studied country, likely due to interest in irrigation and nutrition outcomes. Generally, studies on infrastructural interventions and outcomes are unevenly distributed.
Production infrastructure, particularly irrigation systems and water wells, is the most studied (202 out of 370 studies), followed by post-production infrastructure (125 out of 370 studies) and distribution infrastructure (41 out of 370 studies). The information infrastructure received less research interest. There are more studies on nutritious diet outcomes (274 out of 416 studies) than on women’s economic empowerment (89 out of 416 studies) and gender equality (53 out of 416 studies).
Most nutritious diet studies focus on production infrastructure (188 studies). In contrast, very few studies explore how market facilities, storage, or food processing facilities affect women’s economic empowerment or gender equality.
Among studies on women’s economic empowerment, many assess how off-farm energy and power supply influence women’s time use, access to productive resources, and control over income. Given the critical role women play in food systems and economic development, more primary studies are urgently needed to inform policy and interventions. Distribution infrastructure, such as roads, remains under-researched in relation to all outcomes.
Most included studies are primary research. There are a few systematic reviews (n = 9) without meta-analysis, and scoping and other reviews (n = 48). Only nine systematic reviews (none with meta-analysis) and 48 other reviews were identified. There are no effectiveness studies, highlighting a critical gap for rigorous evaluations to guide infrastructure policy.
Overall, the EGM compiles 342 studies from 54 countries across SSA and SA, offering an interactive, easy-to-navigate platform for users.
1.1.4 What Do the Findings of This Map Mean?
International Center for Evaluation and Development (ICED) plans to use this EGM to promote evidence-based decision-making products such as evidence portals, summaries of evidence for specific interventions and outcomes, policy briefs, and checklists for practitioners and policymakers. ICED will use these products to advocate for further primary studies and rigorous systematic reviews in the under-researched thematic and geographic areas.
In addition, the EGM will support the development of a community of practice focused on infrastructure for agriculture, food production, and marketing. It will also contribute to capacity-building efforts, promoting the use of systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and experimental methods in research.
1.1.5 How Up-to-Date Is This EGM?
The authors searched for and included studies published from 2000 to March 2023.