Intensifying Inequality? Gendered Trends in Commercializing and Diversifying Smallholder Farming Systems in East Africa

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While the commercialization and diversification of agricultural and livestock systems have
been identified as key global strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation,
less is known as to the large-scale gendered impacts that are implicated in these
transformations among smallholder crop and livestock farmers. This study explores these
gender impacts across different farming systems and gender-respondent-household
typologies using data from the Rural Household Multiple Indicator Survey (RHoMIS)
in 2,859 households in three East African countries—Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Female control scores over incomes or foodstuffs produced through both on and
off farm activities were highest in farming systems that had more land and more
livestock. However, increasing commercialization—defined herein as the increasing
importance of crop and livestock sales to farm households—resulted in an overall
decline in female control across all farming systems and gender-respondent-household
typologies. In contrast, crop and livestock diversification were positively associated with
female control across gender-respondent-household typologies. Analysis of specific
crops and livestock products across farming systems and respondent typologies
revealed women have far greater control over decisions related to consumption
than decisions related to sales, although the gap between the two were less
pronounced in lesser-valued livestock products (chickens, eggs). However, the analyses
suggest that as sale of crops and livestock increase, female control over these
areas could likely diminish, regardless of specific activity. The authors conclude
that approaches to adapt to or mitigate climate change that rely on increasing
market orientation of smallholder production will likely intensify men’s control over
benefits from production, whereas diversification will likely have a more positive
impact on female control. Thus, climate adaptation strategies promoting increased diversification will likely have a more positive impact on women smallholders than
commercialization alone. The authors recommend that when commercialization is the
target intervention, it must be accompanied by a gender differentiated analysis of
trade-offs and risks to mitigate the potential negative consequences shown in this study.

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: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems., 43523

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English

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Tavenner K, van Wijk M, Fraval S, Hammond J, Baltenweck I, Teufel N, Kihoro E, de Haan N, van Etten J, Steinke J, Baines D, Carpena P, Skirrow T, Rosenstock T, Lamanna C, Ng’endo M, Chesterman S, Namo

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