Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in Ethiopia

Enhancing farmers' access to improved seeds is essential to increase productivity and ensure food security in the Global South. However, for many socially marginalized groups, seed access is constrained by the weak institutions governing the input supply chains and the dissemination of informat...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Moti Jaleta, Michael Euler, Hom Gartaula, Vijesh Krishna
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2022.1080401/full
_version_ 1797956373517959168
author Moti Jaleta
Michael Euler
Hom Gartaula
Vijesh Krishna
author_facet Moti Jaleta
Michael Euler
Hom Gartaula
Vijesh Krishna
author_sort Moti Jaleta
collection DOAJ
description Enhancing farmers' access to improved seeds is essential to increase productivity and ensure food security in the Global South. However, for many socially marginalized groups, seed access is constrained by the weak institutions governing the input supply chains and the dissemination of information. Using cross-sectional survey data collected from 1,088 farming households in three major wheat-growing regional states of Ethiopia in 2021, this paper assesses empirically how participation in different socioeconomic institutions by men and women farmers shapes their access to and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties. The results show that the seed market in the study area is largely informal, where the recycling of wheat seeds from the previous season is a common practice among both male- and female-headed households. However, a significant difference exists between male- and female-headed households regarding patterns of varietal use, with male farmers growing newer wheat varieties more frequently. Men are also more active than women in local social and economic institutions, and their participation is positively associated with the adoption of new wheat varieties. Thus, strengthening the local social and economic institutions and supporting equitable participation of both male- and female-headed households in these institutions could facilitate the diffusion of quality seeds of improved and recently released wheat varieties in countries where the informal seed system plays a major role in seed acquisition.
first_indexed 2024-04-10T23:47:59Z
format Article
id doaj.art-562d4703560f46629561ae897ca807d5
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2571-581X
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-10T23:47:59Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
spelling doaj.art-562d4703560f46629561ae897ca807d52023-01-10T22:26:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems2571-581X2023-01-01610.3389/fsufs.2022.10804011080401Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in EthiopiaMoti Jaleta0Michael Euler1Hom Gartaula2Vijesh Krishna3International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) Program, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaInternational Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) Program, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaInternational Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) Program, New Delhi, IndiaInternational Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Sustainable Agrifood Systems (SAS) Program, Hyderabad, IndiaEnhancing farmers' access to improved seeds is essential to increase productivity and ensure food security in the Global South. However, for many socially marginalized groups, seed access is constrained by the weak institutions governing the input supply chains and the dissemination of information. Using cross-sectional survey data collected from 1,088 farming households in three major wheat-growing regional states of Ethiopia in 2021, this paper assesses empirically how participation in different socioeconomic institutions by men and women farmers shapes their access to and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties. The results show that the seed market in the study area is largely informal, where the recycling of wheat seeds from the previous season is a common practice among both male- and female-headed households. However, a significant difference exists between male- and female-headed households regarding patterns of varietal use, with male farmers growing newer wheat varieties more frequently. Men are also more active than women in local social and economic institutions, and their participation is positively associated with the adoption of new wheat varieties. Thus, strengthening the local social and economic institutions and supporting equitable participation of both male- and female-headed households in these institutions could facilitate the diffusion of quality seeds of improved and recently released wheat varieties in countries where the informal seed system plays a major role in seed acquisition.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2022.1080401/fullgendersocioeconomic institutionsseed acquisitionwheatEthiopia
spellingShingle Moti Jaleta
Michael Euler
Hom Gartaula
Vijesh Krishna
Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in Ethiopia
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
gender
socioeconomic institutions
seed acquisition
wheat
Ethiopia
title Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in Ethiopia
title_full Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in Ethiopia
title_fullStr Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in Ethiopia
title_full_unstemmed Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in Ethiopia
title_short Gender differences in smallholders' socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in Ethiopia
title_sort gender differences in smallholders socioeconomic networks and acquisition of seed of improved wheat varieties in ethiopia
topic gender
socioeconomic institutions
seed acquisition
wheat
Ethiopia
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2022.1080401/full
work_keys_str_mv AT motijaleta genderdifferencesinsmallholderssocioeconomicnetworksandacquisitionofseedofimprovedwheatvarietiesinethiopia
AT michaeleuler genderdifferencesinsmallholderssocioeconomicnetworksandacquisitionofseedofimprovedwheatvarietiesinethiopia
AT homgartaula genderdifferencesinsmallholderssocioeconomicnetworksandacquisitionofseedofimprovedwheatvarietiesinethiopia
AT vijeshkrishna genderdifferencesinsmallholderssocioeconomicnetworksandacquisitionofseedofimprovedwheatvarietiesinethiopia