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Strategies for improving the economic status of female-headed households in eastern Zimbabwe: The case for adopting the IAR4D framework’s innovation platforms

Journal of Social Development in Africa

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Title Strategies for improving the economic status of female-headed households in eastern Zimbabwe: The case for adopting the IAR4D framework’s innovation platforms
 
Creator Nyikahadzoi, K
Samati, R
Motsi, PD
Siziba, S
Adekunle, A
 
Subject Gender, agriculture, female-headed households, social capital, smallholder farmers, economic status
 
Description The study was conducted in seven districts in Manicaland and Mashonaland East Provinces of Zimbabwe. It sought to analyse the situation of female smallholder farmers with a view to determining innovative strategies that could be employed to improve their socioeconomic status. A sample of 600 smallholder communal farmers, made up of female and male heads of households, was selected for the study. The results of the study indicated that gender differences led to inequalities which affected the farmers’ participation in agricultural activities; female heads of households (FHH) were more disadvantaged than their male counterparts in issues pertaining to control of agricultural resources, and FHH status proved to be a factor in the nature of support which the women received from their (former) husbands’ families. The average age and farming experience of female heads of households was significantly higher than that of male heads, while the size of land undercultivation per household was also found to be significantly lower for females than for males and so was household assets-ownership and the social capital index. The paper calls for the adoption of the IAR4D strategy, an innovation which could help in addressing the plight of female-headed households in rural Zimbabwe.Keywords: Gender, agriculture, female-headed households, social capital, smallholder farmers, economic status
 
Publisher School of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2013-07-03
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.ajol.info/index.php/jsda/article/view/90229
10.4314/jsda.v27i2.
 
Source Journal of Social Development in Africa; Vol 27, No 2 (2012); 59-84
1012-1080
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.ajol.info/index.php/jsda/article/view/90229/79656
 
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