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ASSESSING GENDER ROLES AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS DURING OIL CROP PRODUCTION IN LARE,

NAKURU, KENYA By:

Z. Nyakwara¹; M. Mokua²; W. Moturi ² & G. Macharia¹

¹ KALRO Njoro, P.O Private Bag, Njoro- 20107² Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton

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Presentation Outlineo Introductiono Statement of the Problem o Study Objectiveso Research Questionso Conceptual Frameworko Methodologyo Study Results and Discussiono Conclusion and

Recommendationso Acknowledgement

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IntroductionGovernments’ MDGs, 2000, focused on

strategies aimed at transforming subsistence agriculture to market-oriented farming

Oil crop sector identified as the entry point (MDG- 2001).. Oilseed contributed to food security- (KARI, 2008). Sunflower and Soya bean are widely adapted in Kenya, but with many challenges: Socio- economic and cultural issues, lack of

extension services, poor pesticide usage, and climatic changes (Okoko et al, 1998)

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Statement of the problem

In collaboration, (KARI, MoA, FSK and Egerton, 1990) undertook an integrated successful pilot project on Soya beans and Sunflower production project; to address food security and income generation.

Project soon fizzled out.. Why? Need to do… gender disaggregated data- social-

cultural… environmental effects… availability of policy awareness…

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Study ObjectivesBroad Objective To assess gender roles and environmental

impacts in Lare, Nakuru Kenya

Specific Objective To identify the gender activities carried out

by small holder farmers in oil crop production.

To identify and compare the potential environmental risks by gender of cultivating oil crop

To establish farmers awareness of environmental and gender policies in Kenya

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Research Questions What roles do male and female small holder

farmers play during oil crop production? Do female and male small holder farmers make

joint decision regarding oil crop production or individually ?

What is the ecological and human health risks associated with production of oil crop?

Do small holder farmers seek for extension services related to oil crop production?

Are small holder farmers aware of any environmental and gender policies regarding oil crop production?

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Intervening Variables

Independent Variables

Dependent Variables

-Health (human/ farmers)-Environmental policies-Gender Policies-Knowledge

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MethodologyStudy Area The study was conducted in Lare

division, Njoro District, Nakuru County, Kenya.

Average annual rainfall ranges between 600 to 1000mm and is quite erratic and unevenly distributed.

Farmers in Lare practice subsistence farming where most of their acreage of farm holding is between 1.5 to 5 acres of land.

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Study Area

9Source: KARI, 2006Figure 2: Map of Kenya and Lare Division

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Methodology Cont’d..Study Design The study was done in the four sub-

divisions: Bagaria, Lare, Naishi and Gichobo between July and September, 2013

This study was designed as an ex post-facto survey which combined comparative, exploratory and descriptive research skills

The study adopted Harvard’s Analytical Framework (1980) on gender based analysis and household level.

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Sample Size Calculations Sample size of 180 HH from 330 households

`n =` N

`1+N(e²) ;  where;n` = sample size

N = population size practicing oil crops = 330

E = level of precision (Sampling error) = 5% or 0.05

n` = 330

1+330(0.05²)

n` = 330

1+330(0.0025)

n` = 180

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Methodology Cont’d..Data Collection Use of a structured questionnaire Secondary data.. Example: KARI,

2007; MOA, 2008

Data Analysis The baseline data was analyzed by

tabulating the descriptive statistics (mean, and frequencies (percentage, minimum and maximum levels of occurrence).

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Results and Discussions Gender Labor Analysis 180 HH surveyed: 48% (n=87) male,

52% (n=93) female farmers. Women activities: land preparation, planting,

weeding, harvesting and threshing (52%) Male activities: land clearing, land

preparation, selling and supervising (48%)

Example, (Mollel, 2000), found that there are distinguished different alternative patterns of households heads- need of determining ‘on’ whose responsible for what role and why..

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Results and Discussions Cont’d..Gend

er

Land

Tenure

Frequency

%

Farming Experience

and Age cluster

Owne

d

Hire

d

Male 174 5 96.7

%

14 Years

Female 6 2 3.3% 23 Years

Total N=180 - 100 Both had a

cluster of 45 to

56 years

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Results and Discussions Cont’d.. Decision Making

Male autonomous decision makers. Land, labor availability and finances

main roles undertaken by male farmers. For example on labor:…

- 28% of male respondents delegated duties to their spouses.

- 20% men shared farm work with their spouses.

- 52% of female did most of the farm work alone.

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Results and Discussions Cont’d..

Extension advice 68% of the respondents sought

for advice on environmental risks individually while 32% received advice during public gatherings.

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Education level by Gender

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Comparison of Gender roles in Oil Crop & other cropsActivity

Subsistence Crops Oil Crops

Maize, Potatoes, beans Sunflower & Soya-bean

Males Females Male Female

Land Clearing xx xx xx xx

Land preparation x xx x xx

Planting xx xx x xx

Fertilizing land xx x x xx

Weeding x xx 0 xx

Bird scaring 0 xxC 0 xxC

Harvesting x xxC 0 xx

Transportation xx x xx x

Threshing 0 xx 0 xxC

Processing x xx 0 xx

Post harvesting xx xx 0 xx

Marketing xx x xx 0

x = Low participation; xx = Primary Responsibility; C = children; 0= no

participation

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Results and Discussions Cont’d.. Access and Control of resource and benefits In this study, women’s access to,

and use of, natural resources differed from that of men’s, as a result of the gender division of labor and land ownership

38% men had legal tenure compared to 36% women who had authority to manage.

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Results and Discussion Cont’d.. Pesticide Use,

potential environmental risks and health in oil crop production

- Male farmers did most of the spraying

- Used pesticides to control weeds but did not use protective gears and disposed off used materials to pit latrines / re-used them for

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Results and Discussions Cont’d..Awareness on Environmental and Gender Policies in Lare Division Gender Aware

Not Aware

Trainings

Male: 35% 13% 65% (males )and

5% (female) Female: 0% None 58%

Women (n-93) who were main resource users; individual judgment to protect the environment.

Formal education is important to increase awareness, improve extension services, sensitize people on environmental issues and build institutional capacities( World Bank, 1991)

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Conclusions and RecommendationsConclusion

It can be concluded that oil crop production was a gender based enterprise. Production activities were determined by socio- economic factors, cultural and gender of the farmer.

Male farmers were autonomous regarding decision making while female farmers did most of the production activities

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Conclusion Cont’d..

It was also concluded that both male and female small scale farmers need individual gendered official channels to reflect their individual needs and to have a voice in environmental policy decisions thus develop a strong sense of responsibility on environmental risks and issues.

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Recommendations

There is need of approaching both wo men differently during farming production of any enterprises.

Programs directed to reduce health risks like pesticides strategies must consider the individual human gender dimensions that can avert future farming risks.

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Recommendations Cont’d…

It is critical that commodity-specific gender analyses be carried out at the very beginning of any intervention since each commodity brings with it specific challenges and opportunities.

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Acknowledgement

KARI / Egerton University (MoU) (KAPAP) for funding this study

through Director, (KALRO); Agricultural Extension Staff, Njoro

District Lare farmers Colleagues

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28THANK YOU!!