Gender roles in the tomato value chain: a case study of Kilolo district and Dodoma municipality in Tanzania

Abstract

Although agricultural value chain interventions are implemented they don’t take into consideration different gender categories in the chain. This has partly contributed to failure by many interventions to increase agricultural production. It has also attributed to lack of enough information on gender roles in the agricultural value chain. A study was conducted to assess gender roles in the tomato value chain in Kilolo District and Dodoma Municipality in Tanzania. The study employed a cross sectional research design to collect data from 120 respondents. Key informants interviews and observations were used to supplement the collected data. The statistical package for social sciences was used to analyze data. In both study areas the identified actors were input suppliers, producers, transporters, coolies, brokers, traders and consumers. Box/crate/tenga makers were identified in Kilolo District but not in Dodoma Municipality. Different gender categories like youth, middle and old aged people of both sexes play different roles in the tomato value chain including input supplying, production, transportation and marketing. Middle-aged males followed by females of the same category perform more than half of the roles in the chain. It is recommended that interventions aimed at improving tomato production should focus more on the identified gender categories.

Key Words: Gender, Roles, Value chain, Tomato.