Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa

In Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), increased crop productivity is fundamental to accelerating economic growth and improving the well-being of rural households, especially women and children, who are normally resource constrained. This article examines the degree to which...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ochieng, J., Ouma, Emily A., Birachi, Eliud Abucheli
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Informa UK Limited 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52346
_version_ 1855539920542629888
author Ochieng, J.
Ouma, Emily A.
Birachi, Eliud Abucheli
author_browse Birachi, Eliud Abucheli
Ochieng, J.
Ouma, Emily A.
author_facet Ochieng, J.
Ouma, Emily A.
Birachi, Eliud Abucheli
author_sort Ochieng, J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description In Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), increased crop productivity is fundamental to accelerating economic growth and improving the well-being of rural households, especially women and children, who are normally resource constrained. This article examines the degree to which women participate in farm management and decision making for crop production activities, and the socioeconomic factors that influence their participation. Our study found out that farms managed by women are cultivated much less intensively than male-managed farms, because of the limited ability of women to acquire technological inputs such as fertilizers and improved seeds. While legumes are grown by both men and women, cassava seems to be “a women’s crop,” both in terms of cultivation and harvesting. We found that accessibility to rural credit, extension services, social capital in the form of groups, and engagement in off-farm activities are critical for stimulating women’s participation in crop production activities. Therefore, women must be empowered through programs designed to promote crops that interest them. They should also be provided agricultural services such as credit to encourage the acquisition of production-enhancing inputs to increase crop yields.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace52346
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Informa UK Limited
publisherStr Informa UK Limited
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace523462024-01-09T09:54:00Z Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa Ochieng, J. Ouma, Emily A. Birachi, Eliud Abucheli women gender In Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), increased crop productivity is fundamental to accelerating economic growth and improving the well-being of rural households, especially women and children, who are normally resource constrained. This article examines the degree to which women participate in farm management and decision making for crop production activities, and the socioeconomic factors that influence their participation. Our study found out that farms managed by women are cultivated much less intensively than male-managed farms, because of the limited ability of women to acquire technological inputs such as fertilizers and improved seeds. While legumes are grown by both men and women, cassava seems to be “a women’s crop,” both in terms of cultivation and harvesting. We found that accessibility to rural credit, extension services, social capital in the form of groups, and engagement in off-farm activities are critical for stimulating women’s participation in crop production activities. Therefore, women must be empowered through programs designed to promote crops that interest them. They should also be provided agricultural services such as credit to encourage the acquisition of production-enhancing inputs to increase crop yields. 2014-01 2015-01-09T13:18:43Z 2015-01-09T13:18:43Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52346 en Limited Access Informa UK Limited Ochieng, J., Ouma, E. and Birachi, E. 2014. Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa. Gender, Technology and Development 18(3):341-362.
spellingShingle women
gender
Ochieng, J.
Ouma, Emily A.
Birachi, Eliud Abucheli
Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa
title Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa
title_full Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa
title_fullStr Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa
title_full_unstemmed Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa
title_short Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa
title_sort gender participation and decision making in crop management in great lakes region of central africa
topic women
gender
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/52346
work_keys_str_mv AT ochiengj genderparticipationanddecisionmakingincropmanagementingreatlakesregionofcentralafrica
AT oumaemilya genderparticipationanddecisionmakingincropmanagementingreatlakesregionofcentralafrica
AT birachieliudabucheli genderparticipationanddecisionmakingincropmanagementingreatlakesregionofcentralafrica