From tree to market - How Kenyan women navigate barriers along the way

Women play a central role in the production, processing and trade of tamarind and coconut products in Kenya, but they do not always control these activities or the income they generate. These are the findings of a study conducted in three Kenyan counties by researchers from the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) where 48 individuals were interviewed. 

Although Kenyan legislation protects women’s rights to own and inherit land, patriarchal beliefs and social norms often prevent women from exercising these rights. One male participant who was unwilling to allocate land to his daughter and allow his wife to inherit land explained: “African women abuse their freedom. If a woman has her own land, she might feel like she can leave her husband anytime she’s dissatisfied.”

The interviews conducted in the study also revealed how women producing coconut oil may have to buy coconuts from their husbands even though they are the primary caretakers of the trees.

Asserting their rights and negotiating

The women who participated in this qualitative study use four strategies, either separately or in combination, to navigate the challenges they face:

• Asserting their legal rights to land and resources
• Negotiating within the household
• Diversifying their livelihoods
• Taking collective action

In some cases, women have successfully used legal mechanisms to secure their rights to land and trees. Nevertheless, local patriarchal norms and social structures may continue to restrict their business activities. Married women can, for example, face restrictions on their mobility and may have to negotiate with their husbands to travel or conduct business.

A strategy to cope with this is referred to in the study as “husband appreciation”, where women compensate their husbands for time spent away from unpaid domestic work.

Diversifying and organising

The tamarind and coconut value chains are affected by seasonal market fluctuations as well as environmental pressures such as climate variability, drought and water scarcity. Women have to take these variations into account In their business operations.

One woman interviewed in the study explained that when coconuts are in oversupply, she processes them into oil instead of selling them unprocessed, thereby extending the shelf life of a product that can be sold. Another participant described how her group produces coconut oil as well as soap and charcoal.

Through diversifying their livelihoods by processing raw materials, combining several business activities and adopting new practices, women can reduce the risks associated with seasonality and fluctuating markets.

The study also found that collective action strengthens women’s ability to conduct their businesses. According to the interviewees, sustained collective mobilisation enabled women to secure formal recognition and access to an attractive market location despite prolonged harassment and attempts to evict them. 

For stable business development, womens’ formal rights need to be recognised and enforced also on the local level. Institutional and social conditions must enable women to control resources, make decisions and participate in markets on more equitable terms.

Men and local leaders should also recognize the social and economic benefits of women’s full participation. This would make men advocates for women’s rights. Education, stronger collective organisation, business training and knowledge exchange could further improve women’s ability to develop and market tree-based forest and agroforestry products.