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Intra-Household Handling and Consumption Dynamics of Milk in Peri-Urban Informal Markets in Tanzania and Kenya: A Gender Lens

Author

Listed:
  • Alessandra Galiè

    (International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi 00100, Kenya)

  • Cathy Rozel Farnworth

    (Pandia Consulting, 48145 Münster, Germany)

  • Nelly Njiru

    (International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi 00100, Kenya)

  • Silvia Alonso

    (International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Abstract

Milk, provided it is safe, provides important micronutrients that can combat hidden hunger (undernutrition). Many peri-urban poor people in Tanzania and Kenya use informal markets to purchase milk in order to provide nutritional benefits to their families. Household decision-making processes play an influential role in how much milk to buy and how it is treated. This exploratory qualitative study, conducted in peri-urban Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, examined how access to milk, control over milk handling and safety, and intra-household milk distribution are affected by gender dynamics and by changes in milk availability and price. Focus group discussions with 48 women and 45 men and key informant interviews with 8 men and 8 women, all of whom were parents or caretakers to young children, were conducted. The results indicate that gender roles in milk purchase and handling vary. Generally, providing enough milk is a man’s responsibility, whilst a woman is expected to ensure a nutritious diet. Yet women’s limited decision-making power regarding milk purchase can restrict their ability to provide sufficient milk. Interventions to promote safe milk consumption need to consider gender norms, strengthen intra-household collaborative decision-making, include men in nutrition programming, and increase women’s control over food expenditures.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessandra Galiè & Cathy Rozel Farnworth & Nelly Njiru & Silvia Alonso, 2021. "Intra-Household Handling and Consumption Dynamics of Milk in Peri-Urban Informal Markets in Tanzania and Kenya: A Gender Lens," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-19, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3449-:d:520919
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    Cited by:

    1. Pratyusha Basu & Alessandra Galiè, 2021. "Introduction to Special Issue: Gender and Rural Development: Sustainable Livelihoods in a Neoliberal Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-4, November.
    2. Marcellus Forh Mbah & Linda A. East, 2022. "How Can “Community Voices” from Qualitative Research Illuminate Our Understanding of the Implementation of the SDGs? A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-15, February.

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