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Closing the income gap between male and female agricultural workers: the role of women empowerment in Togo's rural areas

Author

Listed:
  • Yevessé DANDONOUGBO

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Lomé, Togo)

  • Esso-hanam ATAKE

    (Department of Economics Sciences, University of Lomé, Togo)

  • Djinta LITAABA-AKILA

    (Department of Economics Sciences, University of Lomé, Togo)

  • Dédé KOUEVIDJIN

    (Department of Economics Sciences, University of Lomé, Togo)

Abstract

This paper explores the contribution of women empowerment to the reduction of the gender income gap in rural Togo. In Togo, women bear a disproportionate share of unpaid work - preparation of meals, fetching of water and cleaning, caring for children and elder-ly. The analysis is carried out through an extension of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition model and is based on data from the 2018 Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) house-hold survey. Regarding the determinants of farm income, irrigation practices, improved seed use, access to credit, mobile phone, and having a paid job improve farm income of both sexes. Furthermore, for an equal area of land, men's income is significantly higher than women's by about 66%. We found that ideological, religious, ethnic, economic and socio-cultural factors contribute to the increase income gap between male et female agri-cultural workers. Our fin-dings suggest that policies designed to strengthen women's decision-making powers and improve their education levels would be an effective way of boosting their agricultural income. Women's ownership of land titles could serve as an asset for boosting agricultural investment and, consequently, women's income.

Suggested Citation

  • Yevessé DANDONOUGBO & Esso-hanam ATAKE & Djinta LITAABA-AKILA & Dédé KOUEVIDJIN, 2023. "Closing the income gap between male and female agricultural workers: the role of women empowerment in Togo's rural areas," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 57, pages 63-80.
    • Handle: RePEc:tou:journl:v:57:y:2023:p:63-80
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income gap; Rural economic development; Women empowerment; Poverty;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets

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