Status and Upward Mobility of Female Agricultural Professionals in Swaziland

Abstract

A study sought to examine the status and upward mobility of female agricultural professionals in the public agricultural sector in Swaziland. The specific objectives were to describe the distribution of agricultural employees by sex; the perceived factors influencing women's occupation of high profile positions in agriculture; and the relationship between selected demographic characteristics of respondents and their opinions on factors influencing upward mobility of women. The study utilized primary and secondary sources of data and in the case of the latter, a mailed questionnaire was administered. The questionnaire was checked for validity and reliability and found to be suitable. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 67 female and 22 male agricultural professionals as respondents. The findings revealed that the visibility of female agricultural professionals was very limited. The market for all positions, including high profile ones, in the public agricultural sector was overwhelmingly dominated by men. There were relatively more women in low and middle profile positions than in high profile positions. There was unanimous agreement among respondents with regard to factors associated with attitudes of male colleagues, and overwhelming agreement regarding factors associated with employment policies, which influenced the upward mobility of agricultural professionals. There was agreement regarding the majority of the items pertaining to factors associated with educational opportunities and family and society. However, opinion was more or less divided with regard to factors associated with female professionals. The opinions of respondents varied with age with respect to two factors, and with length of service with respect to three factors. Statistically significant differences, based on sex, were detected in the opinions of respondents regarding factors in three out of five domains. The need for a gender and women's policy to address imbalances arising from the male-female dichotomy in employment was recommended.


(Review of Southern African Studies: 2000 4 (1): 42-64)