African indigenous vegetables, gender, and the political economy of commercialization in Kenya

This study investigates the increased commercialization of African indigenous vegetables (AIV)—former subsistence crops such as African nightshade, cowpea leaves and amaranth species grown mainly by women—from a feminist economics perspective. The study aims to answer the following research question: How does AIV commercialization affect the gendered division of labor, women’s participation in agricultural labor, their decision-making power, and their access to resources? We analyze commercialization’s effects on gender relations in labor and decision-making power and also highlight women’s agency. Based on a mixed method design and analyzing household-level panel data and qualitative focus groups from Kenya, we observe an economic empowerment of women that we relate to women’s individual and collective strategies as well as their retention of control over AIV selling and profits. Yet, while we see economic empowerment of women through commercialization—how they broaden their scope of action and are empowered by generating revenue—that does not contribute to a redistribution of labor or land rights, which are key for gender equality, instead it increases women’s labor burden.Peer Reviewe

The gender dynamics of provisioning African Indigenous Vegetables as a meal in Kenya: A meal security perspective

Several agri-food studies have been done to promote African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) with food and nutrition security being a major promoting factor. However, practices of preparation, cooking and sharing a meal have been less studied thus creating a missing link in agri-food studies. This paper seeks to reveal the socio-cultural practices of consumption of AIVs in Kenyan households. The paper introduces the innovative concept of meal security. Qualitative studies were conducted in Nairobi, Nakuru and Kakamega regions in Kenya between 2015 and 2017. Results revealed that consumption of AIVs in Kenyan households is highly gendered. Women are responsible for most of the tasks in relation to AIV preparation and cooking. However, women also use their agency to circumvent some of the challenges they face including choice of family meals and a time burden. The paper recommends strategies and innovations that can reduce these challenges including reduction in time for cooking, provision of infrastructure and challenging conventional gender norms