Gender, vegetable value chains, income distribution and access to resources: Insights from surveys in Tanzania
A survey of 360 smallholder farmers and 82 vegetable traders in Tanzania was conducted
Abstract
A survey of 360 smallholder farmers and 82 vegetable traders in Tanzania was conducted under the “Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation” program funded by USAID and led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Its objective was to examine gender relationships within production and trade, as well as between the actors in both groups. Research foci were on production activities and income, market performance and access to resources as important areas of gendered value chain analysis. Results show no pronounced gender division in the production process, with the exception of pest and disease management, input purchase and seed selection (all predominantly carried out by men). Clear differences between male and female farmers emerged in the allocation of income from various crops. An exploration of why leafy vegetables are grown revealed that the juxtaposition of food crops and cash crops in relation to gender needs to be rethought. Market performance of female producers of leafy vegetables was weaker than male counterparts and female traders. Both male and female traders rated their decision-making power as high in relation to the income generated through vegetable sales. For female smallholders, access to land constituted a major constraint. Women in male-headed households had the least contact with extension officers and training. Without careful consideration of these and other results of gender analysis in value chains, interventions are at risk of failing to improve the livelihoods of producers and traders.
This article is the result of funding from the World Vegetable Center. The World Vegetable Center is partly funded by the UK Department for International Development
Citation
Fischer, G.; Gramzow, A.; Laizer, A. 2017. Gender, vegetable value chains, income distribution and access to resources: Insights from surveys in Tanzania. European Journal of Horticultural Science. 82(6):319-327.