72
provide labor to support production of the crop. Gender roles, however, vary with
respect to the tasks performed in rice farming operations. Men are mainly responsible
for land preparation, plowing, raising nursery beds, fertilizer and pesticide application,
milling, and marketing. Women are mainly responsible for weeding, bird scaring, harvesting, and transporting the crop home for drying. Tilling the land and storage of the
dried crop is normally done by both men and women. Men almost exclusively take over
the responsibilities of milling and eventual marketing of the crop. Whereas women
may have a greater input in rice production, the sharing of proceeds from the crop is
usually disproportional, with a bigger share going to men. Quite often, the women do
not know how much money is earned from the sales of the crop, and neither do they
know how the proceeds are utilized. Studying gender constraints and rice varietal characteristic preferences in lowland rice ecosystem in Ghana, Addison et al. (2014)
reported that rice production is labor intensive; hence, fewer females are involved. In
terms of gender roles, Addison et al. further reported that women are mostly involved
in transplanting, weeding, bird scaring, and post-harvest activities such as threshing,
winnowing, drying, and to a lesser extent marketing.
Current Status of Rice Production in the Zone
Prior to the effects of extreme climate variability, both upland and lowland rice
varieties were grown twice a year. Currently, as indicated by the respondents, trends
have changed. Based on the fact that rice broadcasting and transplanting are dependent on the rainfall pattern, respondents indicated that it was no longer easy for
them to determine the onset of rains to plant early and get good yields. They indicated that prior to the current variations in climate, farmers would prepare their seed
beds in February and transplant rice seedlings between April and May or June and
July. Broadcasting was done between February and March. Several rice varieties
with different maturity periods were planted, depending on the rainfall intensity. For
instance, the Superica variety, as mentioned by the respondents, took about 6 months
to mature (longer than the others) and would be planted at the onset of the long
rains. K5 rice variety took 3 months and would be planted in the shorter rainy season. In this way respondents indicated that they were able to tap farm gate prices
that range between 1800 Ugandan shillings per kg of rice during peak harvest time
and 3200 Ugandan shillings per kg when supply is decreasing.
3.2 Effects of Climate Variability (ECV) and Their
Consequences on Women and Men Rice Farmers
The global influencers of agricultural production and their variability include technology, genetics, climate, soil, field management practices, and associated decisions
such as fertilizer applications, tillage and crop hybrid selection, irrigation manageT. Akongo and C. Chonde
provide labor to support production of the crop. Gender roles, however, vary with
respect to the tasks performed in rice farming operations. Men are mainly responsible
for land preparation, plowing, raising nursery beds, fertilizer and pesticide application,
milling, and marketing. Women are mainly responsible for weeding, bird scaring, harvesting, and transporting the crop home for drying. Tilling the land and storage of the
dried crop is normally done by both men and women. Men almost exclusively take over
the responsibilities of milling and eventual marketing of the crop. Whereas women
may have a greater input in rice production, the sharing of proceeds from the crop is
usually disproportional, with a bigger share going to men. Quite often, the women do
not know how much money is earned from the sales of the crop, and neither do they
know how the proceeds are utilized. Studying gender constraints and rice varietal characteristic preferences in lowland rice ecosystem in Ghana, Addison et al. (2014)
reported that rice production is labor intensive; hence, fewer females are involved. In
terms of gender roles, Addison et al. further reported that women are mostly involved
in transplanting, weeding, bird scaring, and post-harvest activities such as threshing,
winnowing, drying, and to a lesser extent marketing.
Current Status of Rice Production in the Zone
Prior to the effects of extreme climate variability, both upland and lowland rice
varieties were grown twice a year. Currently, as indicated by the respondents, trends
have changed. Based on the fact that rice broadcasting and transplanting are dependent on the rainfall pattern, respondents indicated that it was no longer easy for
them to determine the onset of rains to plant early and get good yields. They indicated that prior to the current variations in climate, farmers would prepare their seed
beds in February and transplant rice seedlings between April and May or June and
July. Broadcasting was done between February and March. Several rice varieties
with different maturity periods were planted, depending on the rainfall intensity. For
instance, the Superica variety, as mentioned by the respondents, took about 6 months
to mature (longer than the others) and would be planted at the onset of the long
rains. K5 rice variety took 3 months and would be planted in the shorter rainy season. In this way respondents indicated that they were able to tap farm gate prices
that range between 1800 Ugandan shillings per kg of rice during peak harvest time
and 3200 Ugandan shillings per kg when supply is decreasing.
3.2 Effects of Climate Variability (ECV) and Their
Consequences on Women and Men Rice Farmers
The global influencers of agricultural production and their variability include technology, genetics, climate, soil, field management practices, and associated decisions
such as fertilizer applications, tillage and crop hybrid selection, irrigation manageT. Akongo and C. Chonde