ABSTRACT

The analysis of women’s entrepreneurship role in agricultural value chains could help policy address challenges that women particularly face in agribusiness. Though oil palm provides several value added products, this study analysed the role of women in the oil palm value chain with particular reference to palm oil in the Akyemansa District and Birim Central Municipality in the Eastern Region. In this study, both women and men are entrepreneurs seeking to maximise profit from their business engagements in various nodes of the value chain. Within a chain node, for example processing of palm oil, the role of women in that chain are analysed by initiation of business, managerial role, decision making, ownership and control of productive resources. The prominent key actors along the chain were ascertained to be producers (farmers), processors and distributors. Primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, from 74 producers, 109 processors, and 47 distributors. The results of the analysis show that men dominate the production segment of the chain whilst women dominate the processing and distribution segments. It was revealed that the sector is gender segregated and compared to the role of men, 38% of women have initiated production businesses, 29.7% in managerial roles, 40.5% in decision making and 21.6% in control of productive resources along the phases of the chain. Estimates of costs and returns indicate that for every FFB sold by female farmers, 14.3% of the value goes to the farmer, whiles 37% goes to women processors and 68% to the distributor. The results of the analysis of the chain also indicate that women distributors earn greater percentage of the share of value created along the value chain than the farmer and the processor. High cost of labour was identified as the most constraining factor facing the entrepreneurs in farming businesses whiles high transportation cost was identified as the most challenging factor facing processors and distributors. It is recommended amongst others that the Food and Drugs Authority have adequate certification of handlers to ensure traceability of palm oil. The entrepreneurs in the chain must adopt zero waste technologies in order to increase their margins. This will compensate for the cost of labour. The District Assembly must improve the road networks in the area to enable motorist have easy access to cart produce of the actors.