Position of women in fruits and vegetables value chain: a case study of Chalinze and Kiwangwa wards in Coast Region of Tanzania
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Date
2012
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Using the baseline survey data, this study was set out to establish the baseline position of
women in fruits and vegetables value chain at Chalinze and Kiwangwa wards in the coast
region of Tanzania. By intergrating gender (taking men into an account), the study
specifically aimed at identifying activities done by women and men in fruits and vegetables
value chain, determining the profit margin accrued by women and men in fruits and
vegetables value chain and identifying socio economic factors influencing women and men
position in fruits and vegetables value chain. The study results are expected to expand the
knowledge of policy makers and development practitioners on the position of women in
fruits and vegetables value chain in the specified research areas which consequently will
lead them to make the informed decisions regarding women empowerment in FVV.
Purposive sampling was used to select wards and villages basing on the concentration of
women economic groups involved in fruits and vegetables value chain and simple random
sampling was used to select households and 239 respondents for the interview. SPSS and
STATA softwares were used to analyse data. The study found that, land preparation,
planting/sowing, weeding, fertilizer application and harvesting were done by both women
and men. However women were less participating in transporting fruits and vegetables
produce to the market places for trading. Value adding activities were not highly practiced
in the study areas. With the exception of amaranthus, the gross margins accrued by female
respondents in pineapples, banana and mangoes were relatively lower than those accrued
by male respondents. Education level and membership in farmers’ associations were found
to influence both women and men position in FVV while position in the household was
found to influence women position and access to market information was found to
influence men position in FVV. The study recommends the provision of education, training
on agricultural and business skills, strengthening of farmers’ associations and promotion of women members in farmers’ associations in order to improve their positions in fruits and
vegetables value chain.
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Keywords
Women position, Vegetables value chain, Chalinze, Kiwangwa, Coast Region, Tanzania