The Contribution of Devolution of the Agricultural Sector to the Economic Empowerment of Women Mango Farmers in Mbooni Sub-county, Makueni County

Abstract

Mango farming is a significant agricultural activity in Mbooni sub-county, and women play a crucial role in this sector. The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution of devolution of agricultural sector to the economic empowerment of women mango farmers in Makueni County, Eastern Kenya. Specifically, the study assessed the influence of devolved agricultural financing practices, devolved extension services and devolved agricultural produce marketing practices on women’s economic empowerment. Guided by the allocative efficiency theory the study adopted the descriptive research design among 302 women mango farmers who double as members of Kyeni Kya Yathonza mango growers group. Data was collected through structured questionnaires, focus group discussion and key informant interviews. Quantitative data from the questionnaires was edited, coded and then analysed using the SPSS v27 statistical software to generate descriptive and inferential results. On the other hand qualitative data from the focus group discussion and key informant interviews was analysed using content analysis. The descriptive results revealed that majority of the selected women mango farmers had benefited from all the three devolved agricultural practices which promoted women economic empowerment. The correlation results also showed that devolved agricultural financing practices had the highest positive and significant correlation with women economic empowerment (r=0.767, p=0.000), followed by agricultural extension services (r=0.648, p=0.000), and then agricultural produce marketing practices (r=0.609, p=0.000). In addition, the regression results also demonstrated that agricultural financing practices (β=0.208, p=0.000) had the highest positive and significant influence on women economic empowerment, followed by agricultural extension services (β=0.115, p=0.000) and then agricultural produce marketing practices (β=0.104, p=0.000). Thus, the study concluded that devolved agricultural sector practices have a positive and significant influence on women economic empowerment among women mango farmers in Mbooni sub-county. This includes; control over and active use of the loans accessed through financing by the County, the women’s role in household decision-making, ability to make large and small purchases and ability to make decisions on what food and when to buy food from the proceeds of mango sales. The study recommends that women mango farmers should be encouraged to take appropriate steps in accessing affordable loans offered by credit- lending institutions which can enable them expand their mango farming activities, improves their economic well-being and promote financial independence. Policymakers at the county agricultural department should enforce gender responsive policies to strengthen the gender blind policies in order to ensure there are equal opportunities for men and women to access financial resources. The study also recommends on additional county government interventions in partnership with private organizations to plan for more agricultural exhibition and trade fairs which provide more effective marketing opportunities for women mango farmers and enables them gain access to skill expertise on modernized production techniques in mango farming.