Eliud A. Birachi

Gender participation and decision making in crop management in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa

Abstract In Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), increased crop productivity is fundamental to accelerating economic growth and improving the well-being of rural households, especially women and children, who are normally resource constrained. This article examines the degree to which women participate in farm management and decision making for crop production activities, and the socioeconomic factors that influence their participation. Our study found out that farms managed by women are cultivated much less intensively than male-managed farms, because of the limited ability of women to acquire technological inputs such as fertilizers and improved seeds. While legumes are grown by both men and women, cassava seems to be “a women’s crop,” both in terms of cultivation and harvesting. We found that accessibility to rural credit, extension services, social capital in the form of groups, and engagement in off-farm activities are critical for stimulating women’s participation in crop production activities. Therefore, women must be empowered through programs designed to promote crops that interest them. They should also be provided agricultural services such as credit to encourage the acquisition of production-enhancing inputs to increase crop yields.

Bean Utilization and Commercialization in Great Lakes Region of Central Africa: The Case of Smallholder Farmers in Burundi

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a very important staple food crop in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. Beans are a major source of food and revenue for smallholder farmers who make up the bulk of the poor population. The average per capita consumption of beans in Burundi of 60 kg/year is among the highest in the world. Beans play an important role but suffer from production constraints, poor efficiency of market systems and market knowledge, albeit undocumented. This study explores the utilization patterns of beans and examines factors influencing the commercialization of the crop in Burundi in order to provide valuable insights on how to improve the marketing system. Data were collected from a sample of 380 farmers obtained through multistage sampling technique. The production system for the common bean is characterized by low input, low output regimes, with a large proportion of the harvest being utilized for household consumption; thus remains limited marketable surplus. The seed sector in Burundi is dominated by the informal sector with more than half of the farmers using local seeds, a trend observed across all the provinces. The key determinants of bean commercialization include the quantity stored for food, the gender of the household head, education level, access to market through traders, and knowledge of bean network significantly influenced the commercialization of beans in smallholder systems. Therefore, to improve bean commercialization, interventions that increase farm productivity and foster commercial linkages between input suppliers, output buyers, and rural communities through market information systems should be emphasized. Continuous advocacy for seed policy change in Burundi to facilitate quick deliveries and linking farmers to output markets would enhance commercialization. Policy that encourages the industrial processing of beans is essential for increased food access and improved rural incomes.

Consumer demand heterogeneity and valuation of value-added pulse products: a case of precooked beans in Uganda

BackgroundThis study investigated consumer demand heterogeneity and valuation of a processed bean product—“precooked beans” with substantially reduced cooking time. Common bean is the most important source of protein for low- and middle-income households in Uganda. Its consumption is, however, constrained by long cooking time, high cooking energy and water requirements. As consumption dynamics change due to a rapid expansion of urban populations, rising incomes and high costs of energy, demand for fast-cooking processed foods is rising. An affordable, on-the-shelf bean product that requires less time, fuel and water to cook is thus inevitable.MethodsA choice experiment was used to elicit consumer choices and willingness to pay for precooked beans. Data used were collected from 558 households from urban, peri-urban and rural parts of central Uganda and analyzed using a latent class model which is suitable when consumer preferences for product attributes are heterogeneous.ResultsStudy results revealed three homogeneous consumer segments with one accounting for 44.3% comprising precooked bean enthusiasts. Consumers derive high utility from a processed bean product with improved nutrition quality, reduced cooking time and hence save water and fuel. The demand for the processed bean is driven by cost saving and preference for convenience, which are reflected in willingness to pay a premium to consume it. Heterogeneity in attribute demand is explained by sex and education of the respondents, volumes of beans consumed, location and sufficiency in own bean supply.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that exploring avenues for nutritionally enhancing while optimizing processing protocols to make precooked beans affordable will increase consumer demand. These results have implications for market targeting, product design and pricing of precooked beans.

Is bean really a women’s crop? Men and women’s participation in bean production in Uganda

BackgroundCommon bean one of the grain legumes that was traditionally considered a subsistence crop and therefore a woman’s crop in Uganda was prioritized for commercialization. This has transformed the crop from being a subsistence crop (food security crop) to a commercial crop with more men engaged in its production. Little is known about the possibility of gender conflicts in production activities as the crop finds market.MethodsThe study uses gender-disaggregated survey data from 500 men and 625 women in central Uganda. Both bivariate and multivariate methods were used to access the notion of bean being a women’s crop based on gender participation intensities (a pairwise t test and Tobit regression model).ResultsSeventy-three percent male-headed and 87% female-headed households had membership in farmers groups. Bean crop was majorly owned by women. Seventy-five percent of the studied bean plots were intercropped with other crops. On average, both men and women operated at one bean plot per season estimated. Winnowing (4.26), post-harvest handling and storage (4.25), sorting (4.22), planting (4.04) and weeding (4.00) were the five top most activities that rural women heavily participated in. The following are the top most five activities that men participated in: site selection (3.94), spraying against pests and diseases (3.81), bush clearing (3.77), fertilizer application (3.73) and harvesting beans (3.73). Bean consumption (1.3%), marketability (17.5%), distance to plot (8.1%), education (1.3%) and color (18.1%) had significant influence on women participation intensities. Household size (5.8%), farming as primary occupation (42.7%) and bean color (30.8%) had significant influence on men bean participation intensities.ConclusionsThe study revealed there was significantly no bean production activity that was purely done by only men or only done by women. Thus, bean cannot be classified as a women’s crop based on participation intensities since men offered support in a number of activities. In order to close the gender gap in bean production, there is need to target both men and women with gendered interventions and address issues of traditional norms.