Gendered Power Relations, Food Production and Socioeconomic Livelihoods of Female-headed Households in Mbarara District

Abstract

This study examines the complex interplay between gendered power relations, food production, and socioeconomic livelihoods of female-headed households in Mbarara District, Southwestern Uganda. Despite global and national commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) emphasizing gender equality and women’s empowerment, female-headed households in Mbarara continue to face structural barriers rooted in patriarchal norms and customary land tenure systems that limit their access to and control over productive resources like land, credit, and agricultural inputs. Using a mixed methods approach grounded in the Sustainable Livelihood Approach and Power Relations Theory, this study explores how this gendered power imbalances restrict female heads' decision-making autonomy in food production and resource utilization, leading to diminished agricultural productivity and persistent livelihood vulnerabilities. A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design was employed, collecting quantitative data through structured surveys of 186 randomly selected female household heads and qualitative data via in-depth interviews with 10 key informants. The findings reveal that a significant proportion of female-headed households (75%) operate on land to which they lack formal title, limiting their investment in long-term food production strategies. Gendered roles and decision-making power within family and community structures were found to be major determinants of access to agricultural inputs. Specifically, only 28% of the surveyed households reported having full autonomy in deciding which crops to plant and where to sell their produce. Furthermore, the study found a strong correlation between food production autonomy and socioeconomic livelihood. Households with greater decision-making power showed a 45% higher average income from agricultural sales compared to those with limited autonomy. The research also found that while 85% of households were engaged in subsistence farming, only 15% had access to formal financial services or microcredit, further hindering their economic advancement. The findings reveal that a significant proportion of female-headed households (75%) operate on land to which they lack formal title, limiting their investment in long-term food production strategies. Gendered roles and decision-making power within family and community structures were found to be major determinants of access to agricultural inputs. Specifically, only 28% of the surveyed households reported having full autonomy in deciding which crops to plant and where to sell their produce. Furthermore, the study found a strong correlation between food production autonomy and socioeconomic livelihood. Households with greater decision-making power showed a 45% higher average income from agricultural sales compared to those with limited autonomy. The research also found that while 85% of households were engaged in subsistence farming, only 15% had access to formal financial services or microcredit, further hindering their economic advancement.