Gendered experiences along the tomato value chain in the Lusaka city region

Abstract

This study examined the gendered experienced along the tomato value chain in the Lusaka city region. The objectives of the study were to: identify the key actors along the tomato value chain; establish the practices carried out along the tomato value chain by men and women; analyse the challenges faced by men and women along the tomato value chain in the study area; and analyse the benefits accrued by men and women along the tomato value chain in the study area. The study adopted a mixed method approach. Data was collected from Mumbwa, Chibombo, Kafue and Chongwe using; an interview schedule administered to 232 respondents; 12 focus group discussions in the 4 districts; semi structured interviews with farmers, middlemen, transporters and vendors at Soweto Market; and semi structured interviews with 7 key informants. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis, while the quantitative data was analysed using Two Sample Z-proportions Test and Chi Square Test with the aid of the statistical software SPSS, Minitab, Excel and QDA Minor. The study tested the following hypotheses; Hypothesis 1: Men use pesticides more than women during the production of tomatoes. Hypothesis 2: There is an association between gender and the decision making over the use of income generated from tomato production. It was found that the proportion of men who sprayed herbicides was greater than that of women who sprayed herbicides (Z = 3.49, p = 0.0001). There was an association between gender and decision-making power [χ2 (n = 232) = 17.9, p = 0.0001]. Results further showed that women’s roles were mainly as farmers at production node and vendors at marketing node. Men’s roles were farming, transporting and brokering at the market. The main challenge identified was lack of capital, 77 percent for men and 66 percent for women. Other challenges included too many household responsibilities for women (47 percent) and lack of access to productive inputs for men (43 percent). Men’s benefits were centred on profit maximization as opposed to women’s benefits that were centred on being able to provide for the home and children. The study recommends that the Government through the Ministry of Gender should incorporate the ADVANCE project into the tomato value chain to empower the women tomato farmers, through mechanising the agricultural process for women which will increase productivity levels and have ripple effects for the men as well, as they will reduce on the amount of labour they put into tomato production.

Keywords: Gender, Gender gaps, Gender roles, Value chain analysis.