Beyond maize production: gender relations along the maize value chain in Tanzania

Rahma I. Adam, Frank Mmbando, Osmund Lupindu, Rose M. Ubwe, Jessica Osanya and Pauline Muindi

No 338769, 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas from Agricultural and Applied Economics Association

Abstract: Maize is an important staple crop for smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa. Yet gender-based opportunities, constraints, and dynamics in maize value chains are under-researched. A better understanding is necessary for gender-sensitive policy and development interventions. This study thus examines gender relations across the maize value chain in Tanzania, looking at gendered participation, decision-making patterns, and resources in maize/seed production, marketing, and sales. Data were collected using mixed methods: a survey of 551 households, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Our findings show that the higher nodes of the maize value chain are dominated by men. Women's participation is generally limited to maize production, and women face barriers to entry into higher nodes. Where they do participate in buying, trading, or retail, they face barriers to expansion of their business. Gendered decision-making patterns with regards to maize sales show regional variation, but overall men are primary decision-makers. Gender mainstreaming and gender transformative interventions targeted at higher nodes in the maize value chain are needed.

Keywords: Labor; and; Human; Capital (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: Track citations by RSS feed

Downloads: (external link)
https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/338769/files/JGAFS-522020-3-Paper.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:aaea21:338769

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.338769

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas from Agricultural and Applied Economics Association Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by AgEcon Search ().