Women´s empowerment: Women´s role and decision-making power in the Peruvian cocoa-based community

Bc. Jana Obručová

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

In the recent years the importance of women´s empowerment and its connection to food security and agricultural growth has been observed. However, lack of information and data across female farmers in the world still remains as a key challenge. Better understanding of gender dimensions of asset acquisition, accumulation and use together with an understanding of household and farm management decision-making can lead to an increase in women´s productivity and recognition.This research investigated women´s role and their decision making power in agriculture and in their household. The case study was conducted among 90 anonymous women farmers in the selected Peruvian cocoa-based community. In addition, the representatives of two main local cooperatives and the manager of projects aiming at women´s empowerment from Instituto de Cultivos Tropicales were asked to provide their views on women´s empowerment in the selected area. Selected methodology was based on both qualitative and quantitative methods. The data were mainly collected by using questionnaire survey and analysed by using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as correlation and regression analysis.The main findings showed that socio-economic factors such as education or marital status influence women´s role in decision-making power. Major share of women reached just primary education or no education at all and the correlation between education and decision-making power was found. Women in this study are not only essential agents involved in the main fieldwork, but they also bear a primary responsibility for the marketing of their agricultural products. Women farmers have to face burden of work that limits their participation in other activities. The analysis also shows a significant empowerment effect of women´s sole or joint land ownership and participation in income generating activities on agriculture decision-making. Agricultural decision-making in the studied area is characterized by a relatively high degree of joint decision making with regard to what to plant, what to sell, how much production to sell and how to spend generated income from sales. The results can be used by project managers from in this area to better target their needs when developing interventions and also be used for further research.

Keywords

women´s empowerment, decision-making power, gender equality

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 26. 4. 2018

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: Ing. Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D.

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta tropického zemědělství

Magisterský studijní program / obor:
Tropické zemědělství / International Development and Agricultural Economics