The discipline of context: commercializing a “women’s crop” in Southern Malawi

Orr, Alastair; Kambalame, Rosario; Porázik, Peter

doi:10.1080/09718524.2021.1939961

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…They welcomed men's greater participation to reduce some of the most labour-intensive aspects of producing groundnuts for the market. And in Malawi, Orr et al (2021) found that commercialisation of pigeon pea did not result in women's disempowerment. In southern Malawi, where the study took place, communities follow matrilineal descent and matrilocal residence patterns that may contribute to women's empowerment (Peters, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commercialisation of the sweetpotato value chain: Impacts on women producers in Mozambique

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Traditionally, sweetpotato is a woman's crop grown primarily for food in Mozambique. With the introduction of Vitamin A rich varieties, efforts were made to commercialize the crop. This study assessed the effects of this commercialization on women producers. Findings indicate that though women devoted more land to sweetpotato, men got higher yields, sold more and obtained better prices. Nonetheless, women dominated the roots value chain and increased their participation in markets. The more lucrative sweetpotato vine chain was dominated by men (75% men), as the resources and skills required to engage in this activity were a significant challenge for women. Women perceived that sweetpotato commercialization increased their ability to make production decisions, though it has not resulted in any changes in ownership of resources. Women and men both noted a subtle change in norms. Men for example perceived that their ability to make decisions had reduced, while women noted that they had taken on more leadership positions locally. These changes might be attributed to the role played by project implementors who encouraged men to allow their spouses to engage more in commercial activities. Whilst women faced challenges related to literacy, market entry and access to resources, they valued the experience obtained in improving their entrepreneurial skills. Future commercialization initiatives should work on linking women to business services and building stronger farmer-processer linkages. Efforts to sensitize men about the benefits of women's engagement in business showed some impact and should be included in further work on crop commercialization.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Commercialisation of the sweetpotato value chain: Impacts on women producers in Mozambique

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

African indigenous vegetables, gender, and the political economy of commercialization in Kenya

Hackfort,

Kubitza,

Opiyo

et al. 2023

Agric Hum Values

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study investigates the increased commercialization of African indigenous vegetables (AIV)—former subsistence crops such as African nightshade, cowpea leaves and amaranth species grown mainly by women—from a feminist economics perspective. The study aims to answer the following research question: How does AIV commercialization affect the gendered division of labor, women’s participation in agricultural labor, their decision-making power, and their access to resources? We analyze commercialization’s effects on gender relations in labor and decision-making power and also highlight women’s agency. Based on a mixed method design and analyzing household-level panel data and qualitative focus groups from Kenya, we observe an economic empowerment of women that we relate to women’s individual and collective strategies as well as their retention of control over AIV selling and profits. Yet, while we see economic empowerment of women through commercialization—how they broaden their scope of action and are empowered by generating revenue—that does not contribute to a redistribution of labor or land rights, which are key for gender equality, instead it increases women’s labor burden.

show abstract

The discipline of context: commercializing a “women’s crop” in Southern Malawi

Cited by 2 publications

References 31 publications

Commercialisation of the sweetpotato value chain: Impacts on women producers in Mozambique

Commercialisation of the sweetpotato value chain: Impacts on women producers in Mozambique

African indigenous vegetables, gender, and the political economy of commercialization in Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About