Feminization of African Agriculture and the Meaning of Decision-Making for Empowerment and Sustainability

Ruth Haug, Dismas L. Mwaseba, Donald Njarui, Mokhele Moeletsi, Mufunanji Magalasi, Mupenzi Mutimura, Feyisa Hundessa and Julie T. Aamodt
Additional contact information
Ruth Haug: Department of International Environment and Development Studies/Noragric, Faculty of Landscape and Society, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Universitetstunet 3, 1430 Ås, Norway
Dismas L. Mwaseba: Department of Agricultural Extension and Community Development, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3005, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro 30007, Tanzania
Donald Njarui: Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Katumani, P.O. Box 340, Machakos 90100, Kenya
Mokhele Moeletsi: Agricultural Research Council—Soil, Climate and Water, Private Bag X79, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Mufunanji Magalasi: Department of Fine and Performing Arts, Faculty of Humanities, Chancellor College, University of Malawi, P.O. Box 280, Zomba 30500, Malawi
Mupenzi Mutimura: Department of Animal Production, Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), P.O Box 5016, Kigali RWA023, Rwanda
Feyisa Hundessa: School of Animal and Range Sciences, Haramaya University, P.O. Box 138, Dire Dawa 3000, Ethiopia
Julie T. Aamodt: Department of International Environment and Development Studies/Noragric, Faculty of Landscape and Society, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Universitetstunet 3, 1430 Ås, Norway

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-16

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess women’s decision-making power in small-scale agriculture in six African countries in view of the feminization of agriculture and to discuss the meaning of decision-making in relation to women’s empowerment and sustainability. The data are drawn from a multisite and mixed-method agricultural research and development project in six sub-Saharan countries including two sites in each country. The five domains of empowerment outlined in the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index are used to structure the analysis. The results indicate that in the selected sites in Malawi, Rwanda and South Africa, women farmers tend to dominate agricultural decision-making, while the result is more mixed in the Kenyan sites, and decision-making tends to be dominated by men in the sites in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Despite women participating in agricultural decision-making, the qualitative results show that women small-scale farmers were not perceived to be empowered in any of the country sites. It appears that the feminization of agriculture leads to women playing a more important role in decision-making but also to more responsibilities and heavier workloads without necessarily resulting in improvements in well-being outcomes that would enhance sustainability.

Keywords: agriculture; feminization; decision-making; empowerment; sustainability; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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