Gender Dynamics in the Access to and Control of Benefits Accrued from Tea Farming in Kiganjo Division, Gatundu District. Kenya
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Date
2013-11-06
Authors
Kibere, Esther Njeri
Kimani, Elishiba
Lodiaga, Mildred Lodiaga
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Abstract
Agriculture is the cornerstone of Kenya's economy with most households depending on it for
food and livelihood. Women provide the largest share of agricultural labour in many households.
Despite the important role that the women play, they are discriminated in the area of access to
and control over the agricultural benefits. In agriculture, tea farming is the main foreign
exchange earner. But despite the important role tea farming plays in Kenya, there are gender
inequalities in the access to and control of the benefits accrued from tea. The existing gender
inequalities have not been adequately investigated and documented. Therefore, the objective of
this study was to investigate the gender dynamics in the access to and control of the tea benefits.
The area of this study was Mundoro location, Kiganjo division, Gatundu District. Mundoro
location was purposively selected as the locale of this study because tea farming is the main
agricultural economic activity in the area. Through simple random sampling two sub-locations
out of four in Mundoro location were selected. Random sampling technique was used to select
five per cent (5%) of the households from the two sub-locations in proportion to the population.
Respondents were the household heads and two tea factory officials. Data was collected using an
interview schedule for the household heads and interview guide for the factory officials.
Observation checklists were used to confirm the gender dynamics in the access to and control of
tea benefits within the households and at the tea factory. Data collected was analyzed according
to emerging themes based on the research objectives.
The major finding of this study was that women are discriminated in the area of access to and
control of tea benefits and especially in finances. However, the study established that female
household heads had access to and control over the tea benefits within their households. The
study identified money as the key benefit and the source of all discrimination within the
households. The factors that determined the access to and control over the tea benefits were
identified as biased tea registration by KTDA, culture of the people, widowhood and the level of
education-,These factors encouraged gender stereotypes and discrimination. Based on these
findings, it was recommended that barriers that hinder women from accessing and controlling tea
benefits be eliminated by putting in place gendered strategies within KTDA. Deliberate efforts
should also be put in place to sensitize the stakeholders in tea farming on the need to equitably
share the tea benefits. The study recommended that strategies that enhance gender equity be put
in place to enable all women and men to equally access and control benefits accrued from tea
farming.
Description
Department of Gender and Development,2011