Presented by Merezia Wilson, UDBS, & SLU, at the workshop "Youth, Agripreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals", 8th of May 2017.

1. GENDER AND RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN AGRICULTURAL
VALUE CHAINS: A case of citrus Fruits Value Chain Actors in Tanga Region, Tanzania
PhD proposal by
Merezia Wilson

2. INTRODUCTION Agriculture is the mainstay of Tanzania’s
economy.
• approximately 80% of the population depends
on small-scale agriculture for their livelihoods
(Agricultural Marketing Policy 2008).
• The agricultural labor force is women-intensive;
54% are women and 46% are men (FAO 2010).
Tanga region is the leading citrus fruits
producer in Tanzania with productivity of about
22.41 t/ha citrus fruits, (URT, 2003).
• Women account for only 24% vs men 76%
(Makorere, (2014)
From the literatures on gender and
entrepreneurship:
 gender norms and practices and
 Entrepreneurial processes
(Nguyen, Frederick, & Nguyen, (2014); Rutashobya, Allan, & Nilsson,
(2009); Spring & Rutashobya, (2009), Andersson, Lodin, & Chiwona-
karltun, (2016); Makorere, (2014); Njuki, Kaaria, Chamunorwa, & Chiuri,
(2011); Quisumbing et al., (2014), Korsgaard, Müllers, & Tanvig, (2015),
FAO, (2010); Welter, (2011) Calas et al, (2007).

3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study is to explore and analyze the impact of gender
norms and practices on women participation in CFVC and the resulting
counter-solution of entrepreneurial processes, specifically the study
aims:
1. To assess the gendered participation in citrus fruits value chain.
2. To explore how the prevailing gender norms and practices determine the
position of women along the chain.
3. To analyse how the women positions along the chain fairing in relation to
men in terms of the cost incurred and benefits received from the
participation along the chain
4. To develop our understanding of how women actors working with citrus
fruits engagement in entrepreneurial processes challenge the existing
structures in the value chain.
• Taking into account other contextual issues such as age, ethnicity and other social norms
and practices.

4. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
• Theoretical contribution to the board of knowledge regarding the
impact that gender norms and practices have placed on women
agency to participate in the agricultural value chain.
• Contribute on the ongoing debate on the impact of context in shaping
entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship
• Inform rural development policy makers as it forms a platform for
developing rural development policies which will take the gender and
contextual issues on board in bridging the local and national interests
more effectively.

5. END, tack