Assessment Of Gender Roles In Sunflower Value Chain: Their Potentials And Constraints In Mvomero District, Morogoro Region

ABSTRACT

This study on the assessment of gender roles in sunflower value chain was carried out in Mlali and Mzumbe wards to assess ones‟ involvement in sunflower value chain in Mvomero District, Morogoro, Tanzania. Many value chain programmes are commonly designed and implemented without taking into consideration of gender roles. Interest in this study was prompted by recognition that understanding women and men‟s relationships plays an important role in developing solutions to household problems, hence it was necessary to have a thorough understanding on how to change the present social constructed roles and activities which hinder the development of agricultural industry. The study assessed gender roles in sunflower value chain: their potentials and constraints in Mvomero District, Morogoro, Interest in this study was prompted by the recognition that equal involvement of males and females in the chain plays a great role to increase production and productivity as well as efficiency in sunflower value chain. Hence it was necessary to have a thorough understanding on how to go about implementing various activities in the chain. Sample size of the study consisted of 138 farmers, and 3 government extension staff. Descriptive analyses using SPSS version 12 was used as a tool of analysis.Structured questionnaire were used to collect relevant information from the respondents. Generally, the study revealed that males dominated in almost all nodes (input supply, packaging, transportation, marketing, and consumption) in the sunflower value chain while females, out of seven nodes, dominated in only two nodes (production and processing). The study therefore recommends specific considerations be taken to link females horizontally and vertically to other nodes in sunflower value chain