5 research outputs found
Beyond a unitary household measure: Does Gender matter in Legume Seed Systems among Smallholder Farmers?
We employ a non-unitary household model to analyze the main Pigeonpea seed channels for in Kenya. The paper is based on a household survey conducted on a 500 randomly selected households within three counties of Eastern Kenya. The study sites are based on the distance from the main trading center (county headquarters) which informs agro business infrastructure. We assess the participation in seed channels with regards to joint plots, women plots and male plots for Pigeonpeas legumes. More than half of the Pigeonpea plots (>50 %) in the sample are managed jointly by men and women; while around 10% are managed entirely by women. There were very few plots (<1%) managed by men alone. The main legumes seed sources are own saved seeds and cereal stockists. There is very limited sourcing from the certified seed channel (<10%), the certified seeds from agrovets are only acquired for joint plots. Using a multinomial logistic regression, we analyze the factors influencing the choice of Pigeonpea seed channels, encompassing characteristics of the wife of the household head. Literate wives and wives with high exposure to extension services were more likely to access seed from the agrovets, these variables were however not significant for the male head. Other significant determinants were total livestock unit, distance to the source of seed, amount of seed required, location of the household, and occupation. We conclude that targeting women farmers with knowledge and capacity building on the advantages of using certified seeds for legumes has the potential to enhance adoption of legumes in Eastern Kenya, education levels notwithstanding
Gendered aspirations and occupations among rural youth, in agriculture and beyond: A cross-regional perspective
Based on 25 case studies from the global comparative study âGENNOVATE: Enabling gender
equality in agricultural and environmental innovationâ, this paper explores rural young womenâs
and menâs occupational aspirations and trajectories in India, Mali, Malawi, Morocco, Mexico,
Nigeria, and the Philippines. We draw upon qualitative data from 50 sex-segregated focus groups
with the youth to show that across the studyâs regional contexts, young rural women and men
predominantly aspire for formal blue and white-collar jobs. Yet, they experience an aspirationachievement
gap, as the promise of their education for securing the formal employment they
seek is unfulfilled, and they continue to farm in their familyâs production. Whereas some young
men aspired to engage in knowledge-intensive or âmodernâ agriculture, young women did not
express any such interest. Framing our analysis within a relational approach, we contend that
various gender norms that discriminate against women in agriculture dissuade young women
from aspiring for agriculture-related occupation. We discuss the gendered opportunity spaces of
the study sites, the meanings these hold for allowing young women and men to achieve their
aspirations and catalyze agricultural innovation, and implications for agricultural policies and
research for development. Our findings show that youth and gender issues are inextricably
intertwined and cannot be understood in isolation one from the other
What drives capacity to innovate? Insights from women and men small-scale farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America
What are key characteristics of rural innovators? How are their experiences similar for women
and men, and how are they different? To examine these questions, we draw on individual
interviews with 336 rural women and men known in their communities for trying out new things
in agriculture. The data form part of 84 GENNOVATE community case studies from 19
countries. Building on study participantsâ own reflections and experiences with innovation in
their agricultural livelihoods, we combine variable-oriented analysis and analysis of specific
individualsâ lived experience. Results indicate that factors related to personality and agency are
what most drive womenâs and menâs capacity to innovate. Access to resources is not a
prerequisite but rather an important enabling aspect. Different types of women have great
potential for local innovation, but structural inequalities make men better positioned to access
resources and leverage support. Menâs support is important when women challenge the status
quo
Linking agribusiness and small-scale farmers in developing countries: Is there a new role for contract farming?
This article examines a new role for contract farming in developing countries in the light of the industrialisation of agriculture and the globalisation of world markets. A theoretical rationale for contracting in developing countries is developed on the basis of adopting new institutional economic theory for the purpose of matching governance forms to market failure problems and transaction characteristics. The history of contract farming is reviewed, together with the advantages and disadvantages to the various players, for the purpose of developing a list of key success factors, problems and some possible solutions.