Agricultural intensification and gender in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia
This project has been collecting data on agricultural intensification from 23 farming communities in 7 regions since 2008
Abstract
The Sustainable Agricultural Intensification Research and Learning in Africa (SAIRLA) supported AFRINT IV project has been collecting data on agricultural intensification from 23 farming communities in 7 regions in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia since 2008. Policies in all countries have a strong focus on maize intensification and also target women as recipients of subsidised farm inputs. During this time, data on maize shows that only in the Zambian region has there been a sustained increase in yields, but this has been tied to a persistent gender gap. In the other two countries, yields have been stagnant. In the case of Malawi this is explained by poverty, land fragmentation and a gradual depletion of natural resources. In the case of Tanzania, withdrawal of subsidy schemes for maize in combination with new commercial opportunities in rice and tree crops appear to be changing land use patterns.
Citation
Andersson Djurfeldt et al. (2019) Agricultural intensification and gender in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia, SAIRLA Research Briefing, UK: SAIRLA
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