Do women cocoa farmers in Nigeria face gender disparities in resource access, decision-making and food security?
Written by: Oluwaseun A. Fasakin and Olajide O. Adeola
Cocoa is a significant source of revenue for farmers in Nigeria. While women play an important part in the cocoa industry, gender norms reduce their access to resources that have the potential to enhance their production.
A publication in the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development highlights the findings of an APRA study that examined these gender disparities in south-west Nigeria. The study confirms that women’s access to credit and extension services is relatively low compared to men; but they had good access to land through purchases. Most studies report that women have unequal access to land when compared with men but in this case, we find that the disparity lies in credit access.
While men were able to afford to use external labour on their cocoa farmers, women were more likely to have to depend on family labour. Unless a farm belongs entirely to a woman, or a woman is the household head, decisions regarding farm activities are often made by men and women have little control. Our study found that even when women were involved in the decision-making process, they often had to be ‘authenticated’ or ‘signed off’ by the household head. The low level of autonomy or involvement in the decision process is an indication that women may be disempowered.
With respect to food security, women tend to consume more food groups than the men in their households. Some of the items frequently consumed, like vegetables, are produced on their farms, while others, like a local cheese, were identified as ‘fall backs’ for lean periods.
The disparity in women’s access to credit and limited decision-making power over their own production and use of labour resources needs to be addressed jointly by government, the private sector and development agencies. A gender-sensitive credit policy should be implemented to enhance the transformation process and increase agricultural productivity.