What Are the Differences between Male and Female Heads of Household Who Produce Coffee in Rwanda?
June 3, 2017 - AGLC Team
Backgrounder 9: What are the differences between male and female heads of household who produce coffee in Rwanda? June 2017
KEY ISSUES
1. Female heads of household are more likely to hire labor to perform pruning, stumping, and fertilizer application. This added cost puts women at a disadvantage compared to male heads of household, who perform these activities themselves.
2. Female heads of household apply fewer inputs, especially pesticides, and apply less manure than male heads of household.
3. Despite possessing slightly less knowledge than men about antestia and Potato Taste Defect, female heads of household surprisingly report less incidence of antestia than male heads of household.
4. Productivity is lower on farms tended by female heads of household than on farms tended by male heads of household.
5. Coffee farming requires access to resources that women lack, including land, money, and time. This unequal access limits women’s ability to invest in their coffee.