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Tropentag, September 20 - 22, 2017 in Bonn

"Future Agriculture: Social-ecological transitions and bio-cultural shifts"


Gendered Analysis of Asset Ownership and Participation in Market Oriented Crop Value Chains

Tatu Mnimbo1, Joyce Lyimo-Macha1, Justin Kalisti Urassa1, Khamaldin Daud Mutabazi1, Stefan Sieber2

1Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania
2Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Inst. of Socio-Economics, Germany


Abstract


Gender inequalities in asset ownership result in different levels of participation, methods of production and modes of marketing cash crops, and bear consequences for women's potential outcome in the cultivation of these crops. Assessing gender participation in cash crop production is important, not just because it differs from the production of other crops, but because cash crop production holds significant potential as a means by which rural households can improve their welfare. In many contexts, ownership of assets is strongly gendered, reflecting existing gender norms and limiting women's ability to invest in more profitable livelihood strategies such as market-oriented agriculture. Yet the intersection between women's asset endowments and their ability to participate in and benefit from agricultural interventions receives minimal attention. This study aimed at analysing the relationship between asset ownership and participation in markets oriented crop value chains. The specific objectives are 1. To analyses gender dynamics in crop commercialisation; 2. To assess the relationship between asset ownership and market participation. Results show that households with a good number of family labour are likely to participate in commercialisation. We also find a positive relationship between participation and value of durable assets, suggesting it is an important determinant in the decision to participate in commercialisation. Furthermore, we find that the degree of commercialisation is negatively associated with age and household size but positively associated with food security. The study concludes that asset ownership is significantly shaped by institutional factors such as social norms and the study observes the importance of complimenting resources such as labour and capital to be able to translate asset ownership into income generating output.


Keywords: Asset ownership, gender, market oriented crops, participation, value chain


Contact Address: Tatu Mnimbo, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Development Studies Institute, 3003 Morogoro, Tanzania, e-mail: maureen3mnimbo@gmail.com


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