IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/afgend/338771.html

Socio-cultural and gender context of access to natural resources: empirical evidence from women shea nut pickers in the northern region of Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Zakaria, Hudu
  • Abdullai, Tijani
  • Gariba, Murtala Labaran

Abstract

Economic activities along the shea butter value chain are seen as key to reducing poverty among rural women in northern Ghana. However, very little is known on how women negotiate socio-cultural and gender barriers limiting their access to shea nuts. This paper presents data on 512 female shea nut pickers across three districts in northern Ghana and examines how socio-cultural, gender, and intra-household dynamics restrict women’s access to shea nuts. We applied Q methodology to collect women’s narratives on the issues limiting their access to shea nuts, and we analyzed these narratives through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). We identified three factors, namely “community governance and traditional regulations”, “intra-household dynamics and gender relations”, and “socio-cultural context and taboos”, as the main issues hindering women’s access. Our analysis shows that women shea nut pickers are often forced to adhere to gender insensitive and socio-cultural rules and taboos in order to access shea trees.

Suggested Citation

  • Zakaria, Hudu & Abdullai, Tijani & Gariba, Murtala Labaran, 2021. "Socio-cultural and gender context of access to natural resources: empirical evidence from women shea nut pickers in the northern region of Ghana," Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security (Agri-Gender), Africa Centre for Gender, Social Research and Impact Assessment, vol. 6(01).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:afgend:338771
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.338771
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/338771/files/JGAFS-612021-2-Paper.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.338771?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Doss, Cheryl R., 2001. "Designing Agricultural Technology for African Women Farmers: Lessons from 25 Years of Experience," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(12), pages 2075-2092, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Emelia Mphande & Bridget Bwalya Umar & Chibuye Florence Kunda-Wamuwi, 2022. "Gender and Legume Production in a Changing Climate Context: Experiences from Chipata, Eastern Zambia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Silva Larson & Anne (Giger)-Dray & Tina Cornioley & Manithaythip Thephavanh & Phomma Thammavong & Sisavan Vorlasan & John G. Connell & Magnus Moglia & Peter Case & Kim S. Alexander & Pascal Perez, 2020. "A Game-Based Approach to Exploring Gender Differences in Smallholder Decisions to Change Farming Practices: White Rice Production in Laos," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-22, August.
    3. B Kelsey Jack, "undated". "Market Inefficiencies and the Adoption of Agricultural Technologies in Developing Countries," CID Working Papers 50, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    4. Mehraban, Nadjia & Debela, Bethelhem Legesse & Kalsum, Ummi & Qaim, Matin, 2022. "What about her? Oil palm cultivation and intra-household gender roles," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    5. Faridath Atchabi Aboudou & Michel Fok, 2019. "Women's empowerment in cotton growing: A case in Northern Benin," Post-Print hal-05174292, HAL.
    6. Joshua Sikhu Okonya & Netsayi Noris Mudege & Anne M. Rietveld & Anastase Nduwayezu & Déo Kantungeko & Bernadette Marie Hakizimana & John Njuki Nyaga & Guy Blomme & James Peter Legg & Jürgen Kroschel, 2019. "The Role of Women in Production and Management of RTB Crops in Rwanda and Burundi: Do Men Decide, and Women Work?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-15, August.
    7. Tsusaka, Takuji W. & Orr, Alastair & Msere, Harry W. & Homann-KeeTui, Sabine & Maimisa, Penias & Twanje, Gift H. & Botha, Rosemary, 2016. "Do Commercialization and Mechanization of a “Women’s Crop” Disempower Women Farmers? Evidence from Zambia and Malawi," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 235885, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Hannah Gichungi & Beatrice Muriithi & Patrick Irungu & Gracious Diiro & John Busienei, 2021. "Effect of Technological Innovation on Gender Roles: The Case of Fruit Fly IPM Adoption on Women’s Decision-Making in Mango Production and Marketing in Kenya," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(3), pages 407-426, June.
    9. Kiprop, Emmanuel & Okinda, Cedric & Wamuyu, Samuel & Geng, Xianhui, 2020. "Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers Participation in Collective Marketing and the Extent of Participation in Improved Indigenous Chicken Markets in Baringo, Kenya," Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, vol. 37(4).
    10. Ndoye Niane, Aifa Fatimata & Burger, Kees, 2012. "Gender and Experimental Measurement of Producers Risk Attitude Towards Output Market Price and its Effects on Economic Performance," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126928, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Alwang, Jeffrey & Larochelle, Catherine & Barrera, Victor, 2017. "Farm Decision Making and Gender: Results from a Randomized Experiment in Ecuador," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 117-129.
    12. Margaret A. McEwan & Moses S. Matui & Sarah Mayanja & Sam Namanda & Kwame Ogero, 2023. "Gender dynamics in seed systems: female makeover or male takeover of specialized sweetpotato seed production, in Lake Zone Tanzania?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 15(3), pages 693-710, June.
    13. Zakaria, Hudu & Abdullai, Tijani & Gariba, Murtala Labaran, . "Socio-cultural and gender context of access to natural resources: empirical evidence from women shea nut pickers in the northern region of Ghana," Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security (Agri-Gender), Africa Centre for Gender, Social Research and Impact Assessment, vol. 6(1).
    14. Anne Jerneck, 2018. "What about Gender in Climate Change? Twelve Feminist Lessons from Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-20, February.
    15. Beatrice W. Muriithi & Kassie Menale & Gracious Diiro & Geoffrey Muricho, 2018. "Does gender matter in the adoption of push-pull pest management and other sustainable agricultural practices? Evidence from Western Kenya," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(2), pages 253-272, April.
    16. Ngokkuen, Chuthaporn & Grote, Ulrike, 2012. "Geographical Indication for Jasmine Rice: Applying a Logit Model to Predict Adoption Behavior of Thai Farm Households," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 51(2), pages 1-29, May.
    17. McNamara, Paul E. & Lee, Han Bum, "undated". "Strengthening Nutrition and Improving Livelihoods through Linking Women Farmers to Markets," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258091, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    18. Fisher, Monica & Kandiwa, Vongai, 2014. "Can agricultural input subsidies reduce the gender gap in modern maize adoption? Evidence from Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 101-111.
    19. Isabel Lambrecht & Monica Schuster & Sarah Asare Samwini & Laura Pelleriaux, 2018. "Changing gender roles in agriculture? Evidence from 20 years of data in Ghana," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 49(6), pages 691-710, November.
    20. Leonard, Alycia & Nguti, Kuthea & Flores Lanza, Micaela & Hirmer, Stephanie, 2025. "Shedding light on vulnerability: Intersectional energy planning for development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:afgend:338771. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://agrigender.net/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.