A gender analysis of smallholder farmer participation in potato marketing in Kyenjojo District, Uganda

Abstract

This study examined the level of participation of men and women in potato marketing in Kyenjojo District in Western Uganda. The study was guided by three objectives to describe the potato marketing systems, assess the householder decision making power, and to analyze the factors that influence the level of intensity of market participation among smallholder potato farmers. Cross-sectional survey research design was used which employed structured questionnaires to collect data among randomly selected men and women potato farmers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary probit regression model. The results show that most potato farmers were of middle age, married, mostly attained primary education and mostly grow potato to earn income. More men report to added value by grading potato as compared to women. The local traders mainly preferred large sized potato tubers. Most men use motorcycles/bicycles to transport the products to market places while most women sell their potato at farm gate. Men made more sole production decisions on size and location of land to use, fertilizer use and pest and disease control while women made more sole decisions post-harvest management, weeding and variety of potato to grow. Decisions were made jointly by men and women on land preparation, planting and harvesting. In regard to marketing decisions, men took most of the decisions especially on the mode of transport, use income and where to sell the potato while women report to be more involved in making decisions on storage. Overall, men had higher decision-making power on both production and marketing of potato compared to women. The level of intensity of market participation among men was influenced by quantity produced, cost of transport, size of land accessed, experience in potato growing, and form in which potato is sold. While among women, the intensity of market participation was majorly influenced by quantity produced and their education level. Interventions aimed at enabling women access education opportunities and increasing access resources and assets such as land should be explored. The researcher recommends implementing interventions aimed at increasing quantity of potato produced and marketed such as access to better yielding varieties and knowledge of good agronomy practices and market education to increase productivity as a precursor for higher market participation.