Gender and mechanization in small-scale irrigation schemes: Analysis of agricultural machinery access by smallholder rice farmers in Mbarali District, Tanzania

Abstract

Given that women in Tanzania bear a disproportionate amount of the agricultural labour burden, it is anticipated that agricultural mechanization could help them substantially. However, the impact of agricultural mechanization is gendered, with women not receiving the same benefits as men, particularly in terms of access. Smallholder farmers use agricultural machinery inequitably. This paper explores the socio-economic factors linked to gender inequalities in agricultural machinery access for smallholder rice farmers. A cross-sectional research approach was used to collect data from 397 farmers randomly selected from small-scale irrigation schemes in Mbarali District. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found the most used agricultural machinery are power tillers and combine harvesters, with a larger proportion of male farmers using combine harvesters (84.1%) compared to 59.7% of women. From the binary logistic regression analysis, agricultural machinery access for male farmers is positively associated with education, membership in scheme associations, and farming experience. Female farmers’ access to agricultural machinery is significantly associated with land size cultivated, membership in the scheme association, and off-arm income activities (p<0.05). Male farmers had more access to agricultural machinery than female farmers. It is concluded that membership in a scheme association, education and training, off-farm income activities, and land area cultivated are potential determinants of agricultural machinery access. It is therefore recommended for enhancing land access, particularly for female farmers, and creating an enabling environment for gender equality in agricultural machinery access.