A Study of Women's Access to Agricultural Production Inputs in Murang'a District, Kenya

Abstract

This study looks at women's access to agricultural production inputs in the small scale sector. Field work was carried out in Murang'a District. It was postulated, ali a basis for research, that among the factors causing low farm inputs is inequalities in access to production inputs hy the women. This postulation was investigated. The study found that women face differential access to production inputs of credit and purchased inputs, relative to men, while female managers obtain less amounts of extension, purchased inputs and credit than joint managers. Female-Managed farms have heen found to produce less output than jointly managed farms. The findings reveal that separating families leads to low output levels and women managed farms are disfavoured in the delivery of inputs factors, which if corrected, may help raise food production. Women were found to he active in agricultural production. They were the major participants in contact farm demonstrations and also formed numerous strong informal credit groups.