Peanut production and consumption systems: intra-household and inter-sector transactions

Approach

The goal of VPI 35S was centered on (1) production of an annotated bibliography reviewing global published and unpublished research on women’s roles in peanut production (labor, knowledge, and decision-making input), processing, and marketing; intra-household resource dynamics affecting these roles; and relevant macro-micro linkages, and (2) identifying and quantifying the impacts of constraints to women’s participation in peanut production, processing, and marketing in Malawi. Graduate Students – N. Mwero and Rodwell Chinguwo, M.S. students in Economics/Agricultural Economics, Malawi at Virginia Tech and will assist in project efforts.

Achievements

The research included a literature review of the situation relating to gender, and a study of gender roles and issues in a selected country, Malawi, where peanut was an important sector of the economy. The achievements fell into four categories: 1) student theses – one student completed an M.S. thesis under the project and three others were near completion; 2) several reports and a referred journal article were completed; 3) a draft of an unpublished data guide on gender and the socioeconomics of peanut production in Malawi were completed, the data were to be used in future analyses and for a graduate student thesis; and 4) several other studies continue and have shown progress. The bibliography on “The Role of Women in Global Peanut Production” was 80% complete.

Focus

Socioeconomic forces