Published on 05th May 2021
The Department would like to congratulate Prof. D.L. Mwaseba for publishing an article titled,
“Intra-household gender relations and women participationIntra-household gender relations and women participationin non-industrial private forestry in the Southern Highlandsof Tanzania in the International Forestry Review Vol.23(1), 2021
HIGHLIGHTS
- The family or household provides the major source of labour for undertaking silvicultural practices involved in tree growing.
- Gender division of labour characterizes silvicultural practices in private forestry.• Gender-based allocation of labour is influenced by experience of a household member related to a particular activity as well as competinglabour demand in a cropping season.
- Men play a key and dominant role in decision making on the allocation of labour and marketing of timber.
- Mere ownership of woodlots by women is not a feasible pathway to having control over income obtained from the sales of timber from theirwoodlots.
SUMMARY
This paper draws on a study conducted in the selected districts of Iringa and Njombe regions in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania where overthe past decade Non-industrial Private Forestry (NIPF) has emerged involving village-based domestic investors. Data for the study werelargely collected using focus group discussions (FGDs) of men and women tree growers. Data were analysed using content analysis focusingon the emerging themes, subthemes, and patterns. The paper shows that gender division of labour characterizes silvicultural practices in privateforestry. Men play a key and dominant role in decision making on the allocation of labour and marketing of timber. We argue that, given thisarrangement, as long as men continue to dominate the market sphere, mere ownership of woodlots by women is not a feasible pathway to havingcontrol over income obtained from the sales of timber from their woodlots. To address this, the paper comes up with some recommendations.
Keywords: intra-household gender relations, women, participation, non-industrial private forestry, Tanzania