Correlates and consequences of women’s participation in the cowpea value chain in eastern Zambia

This article evaluates the impact of cowpea market participation on household food security and income in northern Nigeria. Using household survey data from a representative sample of over 1,500 farm households and applying a combination of instrumental variable techniques and dose–response functions, we found that cowpea market participation had a statistically significant positive impact on household food security and income. Cowpea market participation increased food expenditure by 1.6% and household income by 0.7% with a 10 unit increase in the quantity of cowpea sold. These results underscore the importance of cowpea market participation for household food security and income improvement. We also found that selling cowpea to rural and urban traders significantly increased household income, food expenditure, and food security. Results show that selling cowpea to rural and urban traders increased household income by 17% and 13%, respectively. The results point to the need for an enabling policy environment and public infrastructure to enhance market participation of farmers and traders. Public infrastructure investments in the form of feeder road construction and maintenance in the distant villages are encouraged, which in the long run can translate into improved cowpea productivity and welfare of smallholder farmers.

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“…The proportion of cowpea sold was much higher than that reported by Gondwe et al. (2017) in Zambia and Mignouna et al. (2016) in Nigeria.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 59%

Market participation, household food security, and income: The case of cowpea producers in northern Nigeria

Manda

Alene

Tufa

et al. 2020

Food and Energy Security

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“…The findings indicate that women's access to extension services, land and water are essential. This finding is consistent with the vast literature on improving women's agricultural productivity [8,69,70]. Inequalities in access to agricultural resources and services widen the gender gap in agricultural productivity [32,71].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Enhancing the Glopan Food Systems Framework by Integrating Gender: Relevance for Women in African Agriculture

et al. 2021

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Globally, gender inequalities constrain food security, with women often disproportionately affected. Women play a fundamental role in household food and nutrition security. The multiple roles women play in various areas of the food system are not always recognised. This oversight emerges from an overemphasis on one aspect of the food system, without considering how this area might affect or be affected by another aspect. This study aimed to draw on international commitments and treaties using content analysis to enhance the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Security food systems framework by integrating a gender perspective. The study found that generally, there is a consensus on specific actions that can be taken to advance gender equality at specific stages of the food system. However, governance and social systems constraints that are not necessarily part of the food system, but have a significant bearing on men and women’s capacity to effectively participate in the food system, need to be addressed. While the proposed conceptual framework has some limitations, it offers a foundation on which researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders can begin conceptualising the interconnectedness of gender barriers in the food system.

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“…Despite this ratio, cowpea is considered a woman's in Zambia and other SSA countries Ouédraogo et al (2018). However, when the value of a crop becomes lucrative, males suddenly dominate the value chains of crops previously considered to be "women's crops" Gondwe et al (2017). The relatively higher frequency of male farmers could also have resulted from government-led program to promote the production of "underutilised" crops, including cowpea Malik and Chaudhary (2019).…”

Section: Demographic Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diagnostic Assessments of Farmer-preferred Traits and Production Constraints of Cowpea in Zambia

Nkhoma¹,

Shimelis²,

Laing³

et al. 2022

ASD

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Background: Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] in Zambia is a valuable source of cheap protein, complement to the food systems and value chains in rural and urban areas despite the low productivity. This study aimed to document the present level of cowpea production, identify constraints affecting cowpea production among smallholder farmers and prioritize trait preferences in a cowpea variety as a guide to pre-breeding programs in Zambia. Methods: Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) was used to collect data from cowpea production areas in Zambia’s Eastern, Southern and Northern provinces. The PRA was conducted during the 2017/18 cropping season. Information was solicited from 187 farmers using interview questionnaires with a further focused group discussions with 7 groups. Result: Cowpea is perceived to be ‘a woman’s crop’ in rural areas of Zambia but the present data showed that the frequency of female farmers who were directly involved in cowpea production in the study areas was relatively low at 44.00 per cent. About 93.60 per cent, the respondents were cultivating unimproved, local cowpea landraces, while the remainder (6.40 per cent) cultivated a few introduced varieties. The most important constraints of cowpea production in the study areas were identified by the respondents as poor varieties with low yield potential (45.10 per cent), pests and diseases (18.10 per cent) and the lack of modern production inputs (14.80 per cent). The farmers indicated that high yield potential, insect pest and disease resistance and good eating quality were the most important traits in a variety.

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Correlates and consequences of women’s participation in the cowpea value chain in eastern Zambia

Cited by 5 publications

References 21 publications

Market participation, household food security, and income: The case of cowpea producers in northern Nigeria

Market participation, household food security, and income: The case of cowpea producers in northern Nigeria

Enhancing the Glopan Food Systems Framework by Integrating Gender: Relevance for Women in African Agriculture

Diagnostic Assessments of Farmer-preferred Traits and Production Constraints of Cowpea in Zambia

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