Gender Constraints and Rice Varietal Characteristics Preferences in Lowland Rice Ecosystem in Ghana
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Date
2014
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IISTE
Abstract
This study examined the constraints and differences in varietal preferences for male and female rice farmers in
lowland rice ecosystem in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Successful development interventions such as
dissemination of improved rice varieties are, by their nature, transformative but paying attention to gender
constraints and varietal preferences will always make them more effective. Yet, these issues are not adequately
documented and analyzed in adoption studies. A total sample size of seventy (70) rice farmers was randomly
selected for an in-depth individual interview, using structured questionnaires. Analytical tools used were mainly
descriptive and statistical methods. The results indicate that gender constraints are influenced by gender roles.
The male constraints are lack of credit to expand cultivation, land preparation, bird scaring, land availability and
weeding, whilst their female counterparts are credited to expand cultivation, bird scaring, weeding, labour
availability and land preparation. Furthermore, the varietal preferences of males are marketability, good taste,
good cooking quality, medium plant height and good aroma, whilst good taste, early maturity, high yield, high
tillering ability and marketability loom very large in females’ choice of rice varieties characteristics. The paper
concludes that Ghana needs to review her rice breeding policies to confront the challenge of low adoption of
improved rice varieties, and in doing this gender constraints and preferences for varietal characteristics should be
factored into breeding.
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This article is published by IISTE and is also available at www.iiste.org
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Citation
Developing Country Studies www.iiste.org ISSN 2224-607X (Paper) ISSN 2225-0565 (Online) Vol.4, No.15, 2014