IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/ecopln/v56y2023i5d10.1007_s10644-022-09399-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Gender, agriculture and sustainable livelihood among rural farmers in northern Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Francess Dufie Azumah

    (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)

  • Nachinaab John Onzaberigu

    (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)

  • Awinaba Amoah Adongo

    (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Women play an important role in agriculture and rural economic development. Gender access to farmland and its impact on agricultural productivity, as well as gender-based sustainable livelihoods, are all part of rural development policy. Understanding or gaining insight into gender access to agricultural land and long-term sustainability aids in improving the needs of rural women in land acquisition. The purpose of this study was to investigate gender access to farmland and its impact on agricultural productivity and gender sustainable livelihood, as well as the constraints and methods involved in farmland access and acquisition. A quantitative approach was used in the study. Data were collected through questionnaire from 120 rural farmers from four communities using a simple random sampling method. The findings revealed that insufficient fertile farmland is a major factor influencing agricultural productivity. In the study areas, patriarchal inheritance emerged as the primary mode of farmland access and acquisition, but it also acted as a constraint to gender farmland access. Due to patriarchy, male farmers were said to have easier access to farmland than their female partners. The study also concluded that women are marginalized when it comes to acquiring land for agricultural production, which has an impact on the gender's long-term livelihood sustainability. To address the challenges confronting rural gender farmland access, a policy to ensure gender equality in farmland access is required.

Suggested Citation

  • Francess Dufie Azumah & Nachinaab John Onzaberigu & Awinaba Amoah Adongo, 2023. "Gender, agriculture and sustainable livelihood among rural farmers in northern Ghana," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(5), pages 3257-3279, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:56:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s10644-022-09399-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-022-09399-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10644-022-09399-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10644-022-09399-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sara Horrell & Pramila Krishnan, 2007. "Poverty and productivity in female-headed households in Zimbabwe," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(8), pages 1351-1380.
    2. Markus Goldstein & Christopher Udry, 2008. "The Profits of Power: Land Rights and Agricultural Investment in Ghana," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 116(6), pages 981-1022, December.
    3. Klaus Deininger, 2003. "Land Policies for Growth and Poverty Reduction," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15125.
    4. Deininger, Klaus & Squire, Lyn, 1998. "New ways of looking at old issues: inequality and growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 259-287.
    5. Zachary Darby & Neelam Chandra Poudyal & Adam Frakes & Omkar Joshi, 2021. "Economic Analysis of Recreation Access at a Lake Facing Water Crisis due to Municipal Water Demand," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(9), pages 2909-2920, July.
    6. Amanda Ellis & Mark Blackden & Josephine Cutura & Fiona MacCulloch & Holger Seebens, 2007. "Gender and Economic Growth in Tanzania : Creating Opportunities for Women," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6829.
    7. Stephen T. Garnett & Neil D. Burgess & Julia E. Fa & Álvaro Fernández-Llamazares & Zsolt Molnár & Cathy J. Robinson & James E. M. Watson & Kerstin K. Zander & Beau Austin & Eduardo S. Brondizio & Neil, 2018. "A spatial overview of the global importance of Indigenous lands for conservation," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(7), pages 369-374, July.
    8. World Bank, 2021. "Country Gender Assessment," World Bank Publications - Reports 35366, The World Bank Group.
    9. Kafle, Kashi & Songsermsawas, Tisorn & Winters, Paul, 2021. "IFAD Research Series Issue 65 - Impacts of agricultural value chain development in a mountainous region: Evidence from Nepal," IFAD Research Series 311008, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    10. Van Asselt, Joanna & Useche, Maria P. & Morgan, Stephen N., 2021. "Gender, institutions, and resource allocation: Panel evidence from Ghana," 2021 Annual Meeting, August 1-3, Austin, Texas 312743, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    11. Adwoa Yeboah Gyapong, 2021. "Commodification of family lands and the changing dynamics of access in Ghana," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 1233-1251, May.
    12. Festus Victor Bekun & Seyi Saint Akadiri, 2019. "Poverty and Agriculture in Southern Africa Revisited: A Panel Causality Perspective," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(1), pages 21582440198, February.
    13. Peter Kojo Boateng, 2017. "Land Access, Agricultural Land Use Changes and Narratives about Land Degradation in the Savannahs of Northeast Ghana during the Pre-Colonial and Colonial Periods," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-26, March.
    14. repec:idn:journl:v:5:y:2019:i:1g:p:1-24 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. repec:idn:jimfjn:v:5:y:2019:i:1g:p:1-24 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Andre Croppenstedt & Markus Goldstein & Nina Rosas, 2013. "Gender and Agriculture: Inefficiencies, Segregation, and Low Productivity Traps," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 28(1), pages 79-109, February.
    2. Foley-Fisher, Nathan & McLaughlin, Eoin, 2016. "Capitalising on the Irish land question: land reform and state banking in Ireland, 1891–1938," Financial History Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(1), pages 71-109, April.
    3. Thomas Vendryes, 2014. "Peasants Against Private Property Rights: A Review Of The Literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 971-995, December.
    4. Susanne Väth & Michael Kirk, 2014. "Do property rights and contract farming matter for rural development? Evidence from a large-scale investment in Ghana," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201416, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    5. Deininger, Klaus & Jin, Songqing, 2007. "Land rental markets in the process of rural structural transformation : productivity and equity impacts in China," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4454, The World Bank.
    6. Meinzen-Dick, Ruth & Quisumbing, Agnes & Doss, Cheryl & Theis, Sophie, 2019. "Women's land rights as a pathway to poverty reduction: Framework and review of available evidence," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 72-82.
    7. Ayalew, Hailemariam & Admasu, Yeshwas & Chamberlin, Jordan, 2021. "Is land certification pro-poor? Evidence from Ethiopia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    8. Mendola, Mariapia & Simtowe, Franklin, 2015. "The Welfare Impact of Land Redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Initiative in Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 53-69.
    9. Tasso Adamopoulos & Diego Restuccia, 2014. "The Size Distribution of Farms and International Productivity Differences," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(6), pages 1667-1697, June.
    10. de la O Campos, Ana Paula & Covarrubias, Katia Alejandra & Prieto Patron, Alberto, 2016. "How Does the Choice of the Gender Indicator Affect the Analysis of Gender Differences in Agricultural Productivity? Evidence from Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 17-33.
    11. Hossein Azadi & Eric Vanhaute, 2019. "Mutual Effects of Land Distribution and Economic Development: Evidence from Asia, Africa, and Latin America," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-15, June.
    12. Claudio Araujo & Catherine Araujo Bonjean & Jean-Louis Combes & Pascale Combes-Motel, 2006. "Insécurité foncière et croissance économique au Brésil," Revue d’économie du développement, De Boeck Université, vol. 14(1), pages 79-97.
    13. Petracco, Carly K. & Pender, John L., 2009. "Evaluating the Impact of Land Tenure and Titling on Access to Credit in Uganda," 2009 Conference, August 16-22, 2009, Beijing, China 51899, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    14. Hans P. Binswanger-Mkhize & Camille Bourguignon & Rogier van den Brink, 2009. "Agricultural Land Redistribution : Toward Greater Consensus," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2653.
    15. Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela & Quisumbing, Agnes R. & Doss, Cheryl R. & Theis, Sophie, 2017. "Women’s land rights as a pathway to poverty reduction: A framework and review of available evidence," IFPRI discussion papers 1663, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    16. Jin, Songqing & Deininger, Klaus, 2009. "Land rental markets in the process of rural structural transformation: Productivity and equity impacts from China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 629-646, December.
    17. Ragasa, Catherine, 2012. "Gender and Institutional Dimensions of Agricultural Technology Adoption: A Review of Literature and Synthesis of 35 Case Studies," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126747, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Susanne Väth & Simone Gobien, 2014. "Life Satisfaction, Contract Farming and Property Rights: Evidence from Ghana," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201415, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    19. Yeboah, F. Kwame & Jayne, T.S., 2016. "Africa’s Evolving Employment Structure," Food Security International Development Working Papers 246956, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    20. Vanya Slavchevska, 2015. "Gender differences in agricultural productivity: the case of Tanzania," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 46(3), pages 335-355, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:56:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s10644-022-09399-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.