Abstract
Against the backdrop of global efforts to achieve food security and gender equality, understanding women’s perceptions of their roles in the food value chain is vital. This paper examines women's perceptions of gender roles along the food value chain and its impact on household food security. Focusing on women Chama members in Kakamega County, the study sheds light on complex dynamics influencing food security. Using purposive and snowball sampling, 50 respondents were selected and engaged through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis method identified five themes from the data: gendered division of roles, Women’s gender roles perception, Chama influence on bargaining power, and Chama’s impact on food security. The findings reveal that gender role perceptions influence women’s participation in the food value chain, impacting household food security. Women’s dominance in low-capital activities with limited returns is attributed to gender roles. Respondents believe that division of roles along gender lines increases gendered gaps in land ownership, financial and labour access, and technology adoption, challenging women’s contribution to food security. Chama membership addresses these challenges by fostering women’s access to collateral free credits for business ventures, land acquisition, technology investment, and health and nutrition knowledge acquisition. Notably, women with progressive views of gender roles perceive more balanced gender roles across the food value chain than their conservative counterparts. The study indicates that women's empowerment through Chama can influence their gender roles perception, leading to improved household food security. The study urges policymakers to formulate inclusive policies supporting women's initiatives and roles in food security.
Author Information
Franciscah Anyona Omukiti, University of Tsukuba, Japan
Paper Information
Conference: ECAH2024
Stream: Other Humanities
This paper is part of the ECAH2024 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Omukiti F. (2024) The Impact of Rural Women’s Perception of Gender Roles on Household Food Security: A Study of Women Chama Members in Kakamega County, Kenya ISSN: 2188-1111 – The European Conference on Arts & Humanities 2024: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 125-142) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1111.2024.12
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1111.2024.12
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