1. 1
ASSESSING GENDER ROLES AND
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
DURING OIL CROP PRODUCTION
IN LARE, NAKURU, KENYA
By:
Z. Nyakwara¹; M. Mokua²; W. Moturi ² & G. Macharia¹
¹ KALRO Njoro, P.O Private Bag, Njoro- 20107
² Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton

2. 2
Presentation Outlineo Introduction
o Statement of the Problem
o Study Objectives
o Research Questions
o Conceptual Framework
o Methodology
o Study Results and Discussion
o Conclusion and Recommendations
o Acknowledgement
2

3. 3
Introduction
Governments’ MDGs, 2000, focused on strategies
aimed at transforming subsistence agriculture to
market-oriented farming
Oil crop sector identified as the entry point (MDG-
2001).. Oilseed contributed to food security-
(KARI, 2008). Sunflower and Soya bean are widely
adapted in Kenya, but with many challenges:
 Socio- economic and cultural issues, lack of
extension services, poor pesticide usage, and
climatic changes (Okoko et al, 1998)
3

4. 4
Statement of the problem
In collaboration, (KARI, MoA, FSK and Egerton,
1990) undertook an integrated successful pilot
project on Soya beans and Sunflower production
project; to address food security and income
generation.
Project soon fizzled out.. Why? Need to do…
 gender disaggregated data- social- cultural…
 environmental effects…
 availability of policy awareness…
4

5. 5
Study ObjectivesBroad Objective
 To assess gender roles and environmental impacts in
Lare, Nakuru Kenya
Specific Objective
 To identify the gender activities carried out by small
holder farmers in oil crop production.
 To identify and compare the potential environmental
risks by gender of cultivating oil crop
 To establish farmers awareness of environmental and
gender policies in Kenya
5

6. 6
Research Questions
 What roles do male and female small holder farmers play
during oil crop production?
 Do female and male small holder farmers make joint
decision regarding oil crop production or individually ?
 What is the ecological and human health risks associated
with production of oil crop?
 Do small holder farmers seek for extension services related
to oil crop production?
 Are small holder farmers aware of any environmental and
gender policies regarding oil crop production?

7. 7
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework
Intervening Variables
Independent Variables
Dependent Variables
-Health (human/
farmers)
-Environmental policies
-Gender Policies
-Knowledge

8. 8
MethodologyStudy Area
 The study was conducted in Lare division, Njoro
District, Nakuru County, Kenya.
 Average annual rainfall ranges between 600 to
1000mm and is quite erratic and unevenly
distributed.
 Farmers in Lare practice subsistence farming
where most of their acreage of farm holding is
between 1.5 to 5 acres of land.

9. 9
Study Area
9
Source: KARI, 2006Figure 2: Map of Kenya and Lare Division

10. 10
Methodology Cont’d..Study Design
− The study was done in the four sub-divisions:
Bagaria, Lare, Naishi and Gichobo between
July and September, 2013
− This study was designed as an ex post-facto
survey which combined comparative,
exploratory and descriptive research skills
− The study adopted Harvard’s Analytical
Framework (1980) on gender based analysis
and household level.

11. 11
Sample Size Calculations
Sample size of 180 HH from 330 households
`n =` N
`1+N(e²) ; where;
n` = sample size
N = population size practicing oil crops = 330
E = level of precision (Sampling error) = 5% or 0.05
n` = 330
1+330(0.05²)
n` = 330
1+330(0.0025)
n` = 180

12. 12
Methodology Cont’d..
Data Collection
 Use of a structured questionnaire
 Secondary data.. Example: KARI, 2007; MOA,
2008
Data Analysis
 The baseline data was analyzed by tabulating the
descriptive statistics (mean, and frequencies
(percentage, minimum and maximum levels of
occurrence).

13. 13
Results and Discussions Gender Labor Analysis
 180 HH surveyed: 48% (n=87) male, 52% (n=93)
female farmers.
− Women activities: land preparation, planting, weeding,
harvesting and threshing (52%)
− Male activities: land clearing, land preparation, selling and
supervising (48%)
 Example, (Mollel, 2000), found that there are
distinguished different alternative patterns of
households heads- need of determining ‘on’ whose
responsible for what role and why..

15. 15
Results and Discussions Cont’d..
Gender
Land Tenure
Frequency %
Farming
Experience and
Age cluster
Owned Hired
Male 174 5 96.7% 14 Years
Female 6 2 3.3% 23 Years
Total N=180 - 100 Both had a cluster of
45 to 56 years

16. 16
Results and Discussions Cont’d..
 Decision Making
 Male autonomous decision makers.
 Land, labor availability and finances main
roles undertaken by male farmers. For
example on labor:…
- 28% of male respondents delegated duties to their
spouses.
- 20% men shared farm work with their spouses.
- 52% of female did most of the farm work alone.

17. 17
Results and Discussions Cont’d.. Extension advice
 68% of the respondents sought for advice
on environmental risks individually while
32% received advice during public
gatherings.

18. 18
Education level by Gender

19. 19
Comparison of Gender roles in Oil Crop & other crops
Activity
Subsistence Crops Oil Crops
Maize, Potatoes, beans Sunflower & Soya-bean
Males Females Male Female
Land Clearing xx xx xx xx
Land preparation x xx x xx
Planting xx xx x xx
Fertilizing land xx x x xx
Weeding x xx 0 xx
Bird scaring 0 xxC 0 xxC
Harvesting x xxC 0 xx
Transportation xx x xx x
Threshing 0 xx 0 xxC
Processing x xx 0 xx
Post harvesting xx xx 0 xx
Marketing xx x xx 0
x = Low participation; xx = Primary Responsibility; C = children; 0= no participation

20. 20
Results and Discussions Cont’d.. Access and Control of resource and
benefits
 In this study, women’s access to, and use of,
natural resources differed from that of men’s,
as a result of the gender division of labor and
land ownership
 38% men had legal tenure compared to 36%
women who had authority to manage.
20

21. 21
Results and Discussion Cont’d.. Pesticide Use, potential
environmental risks and
health in oil crop
production
- Male farmers did most of
the spraying
- Used pesticides to control
weeds but did not use
protective gears and
disposed off used materials
to pit latrines / re-used
them for Η20

22. 22
Results and Discussions Cont’d..Awareness on Environmental and
Gender Policies in Lare Division
Gender Aware Not Aware Trainings
Male: 35% 13% 65% (males )
and
5% (female)Female: 0% None 58%
Women (n-93) who were main resource users; individual judgment to
protect the environment.
Formal education is important to increase awareness, improve
extension services, sensitize people on environmental issues and build
institutional capacities( World Bank, 1991)

23. 23
Conclusions and RecommendationsConclusion
 It can be concluded that oil crop production
was a gender based enterprise. Production
activities were determined by socio- economic
factors, cultural and gender of the farmer.
 Male farmers were autonomous regarding
decision making while female farmers did most
of the production activities

24. 24
Conclusion Cont’d..
 It was also concluded that both male and female
small scale farmers need individual gendered
official channels to reflect their individual needs
and to have a voice in environmental policy
decisions thus develop a strong sense of
responsibility on environmental risks and issues.

25. 25
Recommendations
 There is need of approaching both wo­men
differently during farming production of any
enterprises.
 Programs directed to reduce health risks like
pesticides strategies must consider the individual
human gender dimensions that can avert future
farming risks.

26. 26
Recommendations Cont’d…
 It is critical that commodity-specific gender
analyses be carried out at the very beginning of
any intervention since each commodity brings
with it specific challenges and opportunities.

27. 27
Acknowledgement
 KARI / Egerton University (MoU)
 (KAPAP) for funding this study through
Director, (KALRO);
 Agricultural Extension Staff, Njoro District
 Lare farmers
 Colleagues
27

28. 28
THANK YOU!!