A Gendered Analysis Of Intrahousehold Resource Allocation And Benefit Sharing Along The Banana Value Chain In Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

There has been low inclusiveness of gender dimension in the development of agricultural policies of Africa despite the fact that women play a crucial part in the African farming structure. Unequal access to agricultural resources such as land, labor and capital has driven women to less rewarding roles along the value chain while allowing men to take up the dominant management roles. This study sought to map the banana value chain with respect to resource allocation and benefit sharing. Additionally, the study identified the factors that influence gendered resource allocation in banana production while also looking at the factors determining the participation of women in benefit sharing. Findings of this study will play a key role in designing agricultural policies that are aimed at ensuring that the gender gap in African agriculture is less evident. It could also be used as a guide for development projects geared towards gender equity in agriculture as it will highlight areas where gender gaps exist between men and women. To achieve its stated objectives, the study used a fractional logit regression to identify the factors that influence gender resource allocation and the participation of women in benefit sharing. Systematic random sampling was used from banana production groups to select the respondents for the survey. A total of 160 respondents were interviewed. Descriptive statistics from the survey indicated that men were more concentrated at the production level of the value chain while women were active participants at the marketing stage. Female education was found to have a positive effect on land and capital allocation by the wife whereas gender of the household head negatively impacted on wife land allocation towards the banana enterprise. Other variables that positively or negatively influenced land and capital allocation were household assets, offfarm income the current value of livestock, household credit access, extension contact, group membership among others. Factors that were significant in influencing participation of women in vi income use were off-farm income, farm size and years of education of the wife. Given the importance and significance of livestock in the area, diversification of banana production into livestock keeping could increase intra-household equity in the sharing of land and capital assets in the study area. Education of the wife is a factor is linked to human capital, and it is therefore important for women empowerment. Further research should take a look at the inadequate participation of the youth in the banana value chain.