(P05-05-26) Women-Led Bambara Groundnut Systems Show Nutrition-Relevant Trade-Offs Across Farm Practices in Ghana

Objectives: Bambara groundnut is a nutrient-dense, climate-resilient legume often produced by women, yet evidence on how farm practices shape its nutritional quality is limited. We assessed women’s participation in Bambara production and evaluated practice-associated differences in biochemical composition relevant to resilient diets and food quality.

Methods: Among 270 farmers in Techiman and Kintampo, Ghana, Bambara producers were identified and surveyed on tillage, residue management, organic inputs, irrigation, and pest control. Bambara samples were analyzed for proximate composition and phytochemicals. Practice-associated differences were tested at p≤0.05, and findings were interpreted to inform gender-responsive, nutrition-sensitive extension priorities.

Results: Among Bambara producers, 71.4% were women. Bambara systems were low-input, with synthetic fertilizer use < 4%, manure use ~2%, chemical pest control < 10%, and precision irrigation < 5%. Reduced tillage adoption was low overall (10 to 15%) but was associated with higher total phenolics (94.60 vs 51.29 mg/g; p< 0.05). Crop residue burning was associated with higher crude protein (23.50 vs 19.29 g/100 g) and substantially higher tannins (20.51 vs 8.82 mg/100 g). These patterns suggest that limited input access and practice constraints can shape both macronutrient and bioactive profiles in women-led systems.

Conclusions: Women-led Bambara systems represent a nutrition-sensitive pathway for resilient diets, but farm practices can generate trade-offs between beneficial bioactives and anti-nutritional factors. Gender-responsive extension should support women farmers with feasible practices and input access that improve nutritional quality without increasing inhibitory compounds. Monitoring both nutrient density and anti-nutritional markers can help guide practice recommendations.

Funding Sources: Gates Foundation; The Periodic Table of Foods Initiative