Roles and Activities of Women s Participation in Cassava Value Chain: A Case of CAVA II Project in Mara Region, Tanzania

Abstract

While the value chain approach is often praised for its potential to empower women, specifically smallholder farmers in rural areas, this study critically scrutinizes the actual impact of this approach on the extent of women's involvement in various roles and activities within the value chain. The study was conducted in Rorya, Bunda and Serengeti Districts in Mara Region. The study involved 123 women who were participating in the project A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while Focus Group Discussion and semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis and quantitative data were analysed using the Wilcoxon rank signed test. Wilcoxon rank signed-rank test results revealed women’s participation in the value chain changed in a different direction, for example, women's participation in production roles and activities increased. However, Women's participation in processing decreased after the introduction of new and improved equipment such as processing machines. There was no significant change in marketing activities as the participation of women remained poor, especially for distant marketing. It is therefore concluded that interventions which target women in agricultural production can increase their participation in roles and activities. It is recommended that Government and Development Partners programmes should design and implement projects which will enhance women’s empowerment and which in turn will increase their participation in roles along the value chain. This will lead to improved livelihood and reduction of poverty in farming communities in Tanzania.