Abstract
Gendered rice productivity gaps continue to be a major challenge to achieving food self-sufficiency and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. This study uses data of 900 rice plot managers from three regions in Northern Ghana. The Oaxaca–Blinder mean and quantile-based decomposition procedure were employed in each region separately to highlight the sources of gender differences in rice productivity. The results show that female plot managers are not disadvantaged in rice production. The results suggest that female plot managers produce 18% more rice output than male plot managers in the Upper East region, while there is no significant gender difference in the Northern and Upper West regions. Again, rice productivity differences among female and male plot managers within regions are positively influenced by age, marriage status, asset value, family labor, herbicide use, and farmer-based organization memberships. On the other hand, rice productivity differences are negatively affected by poor access to extension, farm size, household expenditure, and hired labor. Moreover, by applying an Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition approach, apart from understanding factors driving gender productivity gaps within regions, we are also able to estimate the likely benefits that each region could gain from bridging the gender gaps in rice production. It can be concluded that by accounting for regional heterogeneity there is an average gender gap in rice productivity in Northern Ghana. The gender differentials across the rice-producing regions of Ghana suggest that policies aimed at improving rice productivity from a gender perspective should consider spatial factors as well.
Resumé
Les écarts de productivité rizicole entre les sexes continuent d’être un défi majeur pour atteindre l’autosuffisance alimentaire et la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique subsaharienne. Cette étude utilise les données de 900 exploitant.e.s de parcelles de riz dans trois régions du nord du Ghana. La méthode de décomposition basée sur la moyenne et les quantiles d’Oaxaca-Blinder a été utilisée dans chaque région séparément pour mettre en évidence les sources des différences entre les sexes dans la productivité rizicole. Les résultats montrent que les femmes qui exploitent des parcelles ne sont pas désavantagées dans la production de riz. Les résultats suggèrent que les femmes exploitantes de parcelles produisent 18% de riz de plus que les hommes dans la région du Haut-Est, alors qu’il n’y a pas de différence significative entre les sexes dans les régions du Nord et du Haut-Ouest. Encore une fois, les différences de productivité rizicole parmi les exploitant.e.s de parcelles, qu’ils soient femmes et hommes, au sein des régions sont positivement influencées par l’âge, le statut matrimonial, la valeur des actifs, le travail familial, l’utilisation d’herbicides et l’appartenance à des organisations d’agriculteurs. D’un autre côté, les différences de productivité rizicole sont négativement impactées par un accès limité à la vulgarisation, la taille des exploitations, les dépenses des ménages et la main-d’œuvre salariée. De plus, en appliquant la méthode de décomposition d’Oaxaca-Blinder, nous sommes non seulement en mesure de comprendre les facteurs à l’origine des écarts de productivité entre les sexes au sein des régions, mais également d’estimer les avantages probables que chaque région pourrait tirer en comblant les écarts entre les sexes dans la production de riz. On peut en conclure qu’en tenant compte de l’hétérogénéité régionale, il existe un écart moyen entre les sexes dans la productivité rizicole dans le nord du Ghana. Les différences entre les sexes dans les régions productrices de riz du Ghana suggèrent que les politiques qui cherchent à améliorer la productivité du riz en prenant en compte le prisme du genre devraient également tenir compte les facteurs liés à l’espace.
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Addai, K.N., Lu, W. & Temoso, O. Are Female Rice Farmers Less Productive than Male Farmers? Micro-evidence from Ghana. Eur J Dev Res 33, 1997–2039 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-020-00342-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-020-00342-4