Gender Roles in Soil Fertility and Water Management for Maize (Zea mays L.) Production in Urban Agriculture: A Case for Harare, Zimbabwe
Abstract
159 words
A survey of 205 farmers in Harare and Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe
was conducted to characterise soil fertility and water
management practices used by urban farmers to produce maize
and to determine the influence of gender on their use. Results
showed that women (62.4%) dominated men (37.6%) in urban
farming activities. Farmers used a combination of either poultry
manure, sewage sludge or cattle manure with mineral fertilisers
and attained an average maize grain yield of 1.5 t/ha, or sole
application of mineral fertilisers that achieved an average maize
grain yield of 1.1 t/ha. More women used organic fertilisers
than men, but they applied lower rates leading to lower yields.
More women than men used ridges and furrows, raised beds
and mulching as water management practices but only use of
ridges and furrows was significantly correlated with gender
(p<0.05, r = -0.16). Farming activities in Harare and Chitungwiza
are influenced by gender hence training and financial support
should be targeted to women.
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