This paper provides evidence of gender differences in the access and control of resources and their relation to participation in rice-breeding activities among men and women farmers in southern Ghana. We used a mixed methods design which involved the use of qualitative data collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) and quantitative data collection through a survey. Using data collected from 315 smallholder rice farmers, perception analyses and probit and multivariate regression were employed in the analyses. Our findings indicate that higher levels of education, experience in rice farming, a favorable dependency ratio, larger farm size, more rice plots, access to extension services, and involvement with financial organizations positively influence participation in rice-breeding activities. On the other hand, distance to market is found to have a negative impact on participation. Moreover, years of education, experience in rice farming, farm size, number of rice plots, dependency ratio, and distance to market were found to negatively influence the control of production resources among both male and female participants in rice-breeding activities. From both the quantitative and qualitative results, men had more access to productive resources than women. Insights from this study will enhance gender equity in promoting the participation of both men and women in rice varietal development activities.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the perceptions and management strategy choices of maize farmers in Ghana towards fall armyworm (FAW) infestation, which poses a severe threat to their livelihoods, and examined the factors influencing farmers' adoption of FAW management strategies. RESULTS: All respondents demonstrated high awareness of FAW, with 98% reporting devastating effects on their farms. FAW affected an average of 30% of maize farmland, with farmers losing an estimated 536 kg ha ⁻¹ , representing approximately 27% of expected maize yield. A significant knowledge gap persists in effective control measures, as indicated by a mean perception index of 0.21, reflecting farmers' limited understanding of effective FAW management strategies. Relative to biological/botanical and traditional pest management strategies, farmers largely perceive synthetic pesticides to be the ideal solution, with 42% strongly agreeing and 25% agreeing with this view. Factors significantly influencing control measure choice included age, gender, household size, labour, household head status, farm size, farm experience and non‐farm income. The most pressing challenge with FAW management was difficulty in accessing synthetic control measures. CONCLUSION: Pest control practices vary significantly across agroecological zones, suggesting the need for region‐specific strategies. Despite high awareness of FAW, farmers lacked adequate knowledge of effective control strategies, with many applying pesticides based on hearsay rather than expert recommendations. These findings underscore the need for targeted training programs focused on improving farmers' understanding and adoption of integrated, sustainable FAW management practices, while addressing the misguided perception that synthetic pesticides are inherently superior. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.