Gender and Cash Crops: The Case of Coffee Production in Ethiopia

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1 ETHIOPIAN DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE Gender and Cash Crops: The Case of Coffee Production in Ethiopia Mekdim Dereje, Ermias Engida, Bart Minten, Silvia Possenti and Fanaye Tadesse IFPRI/ESSP Ethiopian Economics Association July 22, 2016 Addis Ababa 1

2 1. Introduction Women play a critical role in agriculture. They account for more than 40% of the agricultural labor force in developing countries Disadvantaged in access to agricultural assets, inputs and services, Access to market, credit, and employment opportunities. Hence: they rely on a reduced productivity potential, engaging less in cash crop production. 2

3 1. Introduction In Ethiopia, men control the marketing and income from cash crops such as coffee, wheat and teff. Women relatively play higher role in the cultivation of vegetable and horticultural crops for home consumption. Objective: Assess the role of women in the coffee value chain, more in particular at the production level. 3

4 Data Producer survey fielded in February 2014: - Focus on the major 12 coffee producing zones. - 5 strata based on the 5 coffee varieties of Ethiopia - Total of 1,600 coffee farmers were randomly sampled with an even distribution among each variety (320 farmers each strata) Processor survey to collect information on sales, employment, etc. Covered cooperatives, red and dry cherry processors

5 2. Gender and decision making in coffee areas Out of 1,600 households surveyed, only 5 percent are femaleheaded households. Land management decisions: percent of the parcels are managed by women - 47 percent is managed by men - 48 percent is jointly managed by both men and women A higher percentage of female certificate holders are found to be decision makers on their plots.

6 2. Gender and decision making... Cont d Men take the decision making on most plot and for all crops. Women have relatively more role on fruits/veg and less destant plots. Crop category Man Woman Joint Coffee Chat Chat Fruits/vegetables Staple Staple crops crops Oilseeds pulses Oilseeds & pulses Total Total

7 3. Gender, Extension, and input use in coffee Access to Extension: o 38 percent of the households were not visited by extension agents o In 47 percent of the households, male members were contacted by extension agents o In only 15 percent of the households, female members were contacted by extension agents.

8 3. Gender, Extension, and input use... Cont d Compost use on Coffee plots Decision Maker Compost use (% plots) Share of trees compost is applied on Number of observations Man ,526 Woman Both ,622

9 3. Gender, Extension, and input use... Cont d Labor: o men are highly engaged in most of the activities o women are mainly engaged in harvesting and post-harvesting activities Male-Adult Female-Adult Child Tree management Mulching Tilling/ hoeing Manure and compost Weeding Chemical fertilizer Harvesting Post-harvest activities Total time

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12 4. Gender and Productivity Plots solely manged by women have a lower level of productivity due to: o Differences in access to inputs and intensity of input application such as land and labor; o Smaller size of plots and consequent less efficiency gain from economies of scale; o poor quality of land and plot management (e.g. Stumping);

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15 6. Conclusions The findings of the study highlight women s o Limited role in decision-making o Lack of access to resources: e.g. Land o Smaller input use and extension o Significant involvement in temporary jobs o Lower productivity and lower sales

16 Recommendations Need of policies that focus on fostering: o Access to education and access to productive resources such as land (including certificates) o Access to markets and services o More safe employment opportunities o The adoption of labor saving technologies

17 THANK YOU