The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word FATHERING
F
A
T
H
E
R
I
N
G
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Helping to produce" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case helping to produce = fathering.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FATHERING mean?
FATHERING verb- To be a father to; to sire.
- To give rise to.
- To act as a father; to support and nurture.
- To provide with a father.
- To adopt as one's own.