Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya

Participatory variety selection (PVS) is the selection of new varieties among fixed lines by farmers under different target environments. It is increasingly being used to select and promote new crop breeding materials in most African countries. A gender-responsive PVS tool was piloted in Embu and Na...

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Autores principales: Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh, Lutomia, Cosmas Kweyu, Odhiambo, Collins Ageyo, Karanja, David, Kamau, Eliezah
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: MDPI 2021
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Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/116931
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author Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Lutomia, Cosmas Kweyu
Odhiambo, Collins Ageyo
Karanja, David
Kamau, Eliezah
author_browse Kamau, Eliezah
Karanja, David
Lutomia, Cosmas Kweyu
Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Odhiambo, Collins Ageyo
author_facet Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Lutomia, Cosmas Kweyu
Odhiambo, Collins Ageyo
Karanja, David
Kamau, Eliezah
author_sort Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Participatory variety selection (PVS) is the selection of new varieties among fixed lines by farmers under different target environments. It is increasingly being used to select and promote new crop breeding materials in most African countries. A gender-responsive PVS tool was piloted in Embu and Nakuru in the first and second cropping seasons of 2019 to understand similarities and differences between men’s and women’s varietal and trait preferences for biofortified released varieties and local bean varieties (landraces). Pooled results indicate that varietal and trait preferences between men and women farmers were slightly different but followed gendered roles and division of labor. Women farmers have a higher preference for landraces compared to men due to their availability, affordability and accessibility. Preferences for bean varieties differed between men and women across the two counties. High yielding was the most prioritized trait by both men and women for Mwitemania, Nyota, and Angaza. The findings support the long-held assumption that men prefer market-oriented traits, but women have a greater range of concerns thus less market oriented than men. For Nyota, men’s preferences were shaped by market traits, while women’s preferences were based on the variety being early maturing, resistant to pests and diseases, marketable, and fast cooking. For other varieties, men preferred Mwitemania because it is high yielding, early maturing, resistant to pests and diseases, and marketable. In contrast, women preferred Mwitemania because of seed availability, fast cooking, and early maturing. However, men’s and women’s varietal preferences for Angaza were similar, with them reporting early maturing, resistance to pests and diseases, and marketability as attractive traits. Sociodemographic characteristics such as education, age, marital status, and land ownership underlined the differences in trait preferences. Despite having attractive traits for both men and women, Nyota increased drudgery, displaced women from their usual activities, and required additional inputs by women, signaling possible adoption tradeoffs. However, Nyota, Angaza, and Mwitemania can provide the opportunity to increase employment for women. This study calls for gender integration at the design stage of any breeding system to ensure men and women farmers have access to varieties they prefer for food and income generation.
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spelling CGSpace1169312025-11-11T17:41:53Z Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh Lutomia, Cosmas Kweyu Odhiambo, Collins Ageyo Karanja, David Kamau, Eliezah variety choice plant breeding gender equity women's participation household food security elección de variedades fitomejoramiento equidad de género Participatory variety selection (PVS) is the selection of new varieties among fixed lines by farmers under different target environments. It is increasingly being used to select and promote new crop breeding materials in most African countries. A gender-responsive PVS tool was piloted in Embu and Nakuru in the first and second cropping seasons of 2019 to understand similarities and differences between men’s and women’s varietal and trait preferences for biofortified released varieties and local bean varieties (landraces). Pooled results indicate that varietal and trait preferences between men and women farmers were slightly different but followed gendered roles and division of labor. Women farmers have a higher preference for landraces compared to men due to their availability, affordability and accessibility. Preferences for bean varieties differed between men and women across the two counties. High yielding was the most prioritized trait by both men and women for Mwitemania, Nyota, and Angaza. The findings support the long-held assumption that men prefer market-oriented traits, but women have a greater range of concerns thus less market oriented than men. For Nyota, men’s preferences were shaped by market traits, while women’s preferences were based on the variety being early maturing, resistant to pests and diseases, marketable, and fast cooking. For other varieties, men preferred Mwitemania because it is high yielding, early maturing, resistant to pests and diseases, and marketable. In contrast, women preferred Mwitemania because of seed availability, fast cooking, and early maturing. However, men’s and women’s varietal preferences for Angaza were similar, with them reporting early maturing, resistance to pests and diseases, and marketability as attractive traits. Sociodemographic characteristics such as education, age, marital status, and land ownership underlined the differences in trait preferences. Despite having attractive traits for both men and women, Nyota increased drudgery, displaced women from their usual activities, and required additional inputs by women, signaling possible adoption tradeoffs. However, Nyota, Angaza, and Mwitemania can provide the opportunity to increase employment for women. This study calls for gender integration at the design stage of any breeding system to ensure men and women farmers have access to varieties they prefer for food and income generation. 2021-11-27 2021-12-21T10:53:21Z 2021-12-21T10:53:21Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/116931 en Open Access application/pdf MDPI Nchanji, E.; Lutomia, C.; Odhiambo, C.A.; Karanja, D.; Kamau, E. (2021) Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya. Sustainability 13(23): 13164. ISSN: 2071-1050
spellingShingle variety choice
plant breeding
gender equity
women's participation
household food security
elección de variedades
fitomejoramiento
equidad de género
Nchanji, Eileen Bogweh
Lutomia, Cosmas Kweyu
Odhiambo, Collins Ageyo
Karanja, David
Kamau, Eliezah
Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya
title Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya
title_full Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya
title_fullStr Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya
title_short Gender-responsive participatory variety selection in Kenya: Implications for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) breeding in Kenya
title_sort gender responsive participatory variety selection in kenya implications for common bean phaseolus vulgaris l breeding in kenya
topic variety choice
plant breeding
gender equity
women's participation
household food security
elección de variedades
fitomejoramiento
equidad de género
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/116931
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