Sustainable Livelihoods Enhancement Project

BASELINE DRAFT REPORT

PATRICK UMAR KOROMA—CONSULTANT

SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP ACTION FOR DEVELOPMENT ENGAGEMENT –(SPADE)

TABLE ON CONTENTS

List of Tables...........................................................................................................
List of Figures.........................................................................................................
List of Acronyms.....................................................................................................
Executive Summary................................................................................................
1.0: Introduction.............................................................................................................
2.0: Baseline aim and objectives................................................................................
3.0: Methodology, resources and budget
3.0.1: Sampling……………………………..……………………………………………….
3.0.2: Village profiles......................................................................................................
3.0.3: Questionnaire for household survey………………………………………………
3.0.4: Questionnaire content………………………………………………………………
3.0.5: Focus Group Discussions...................................................................................
3.0.6: Field work, resources and logistics......................................................................
3.0.7: Data Analysis and reporting................................................................................
3.0.8: Limitations of the baseline survey........................................................................
4.0: Survey Findings....................................................................................................
5.0: Conclusions and recommendations...................................................................
5.0.1: Conclusions.........................................................................................................
5.0.2: Recommendations.............................................................................................
Annex 1: Baseline Questionnaire...............................................................................
Annex 2: Focus Discussion Checklist for communities/stakeholders………………….
Annex 3: List of randomly selected Villages.............................................................
Annex 4: List of selected Villages for Focus Group Discussions...............................

2
LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Average population size per household

Table 2: Average number of co-wives in polygamous households

Table 3: Average numbers of children women farmers have households

Table 4: Women in households with children in school and the average number of

children sent to school per household

Table 5: Number of years in farming within households

Table 6: How women farmers’ process crops after harvest

Table 7: What a typical household spend on

Table 8: Estimated costs for items purchased for cultivation

Table 9: Estimated costs for milled and un-milled crops

3
LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Household members who work in the farm

Figure 2: Forms of treatment received when household members are sick

Figure 3: Forms of assistance received by sick members within households

Figure 4: Different types of crops grown within households

Figure 5: Types of farming done by households

Figure 6: Planting methods within households

Figure 7: Crops planted by other members of the household

Figure 8: How women farmers cultivate without owning land

Figure 9: Other types of crops cultivated within households

Figure 10: Activities men and women typically do in households

Figure 11: Household major source of income

Figure 12: Those who sell products produced by other members of the household

Figure 13: Who keeps the money generated within the household

Figure 14: other sources of income for the household

Figure 15: Those present when decisions are made in households

Figure 16: Who controls household properties

Figure 17: Typical decisions made in households

Figure 18: How women farmers deal with violence and abuse in households

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List of Acronyms

BD --Bombali District

CBOs -- Community Based Organizations

DFID -- Department for International Development

EVD -- Ebola Virus Disease

FBOs -- Farm Based Organizations

FGDs -- Focus Group Discussions

FTM -- Feed The Minds

GPAF -- Global Poverty Action Fund

HHs -- Households

IFAD -- International Agency for Food and Agricultural Development

IVS -- Inland Valley Swamps

MAFFS -- Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security

MEWODA -- Menna Women’s Development Associates

NGOs -- Non-Governmental organizations

PHU -- Peripheral Health Unit

SLEP -- Sustainable Livelihood Enhancement Project

SPSS -- Statistical Package for Social Sciences

UK -- United Kingdom

5
Executive Summary

The Sustainable Livelihood Enhancement Project (SLEP) is a two years FTM/DFID-

funded project that is set to be implemented by Menna Women Development
Associates (MEWODA). The project is set to benefit 2,500 rural women farmers in
Makarie-Gbanti Chiefdom from November 2015 to November 2017. This baseline study
was conducted in September-October to get a quick understanding of the food security,
market prices,livelihoods and gender situation of communities in Makarie-Gbanti
Chiefdom—Bombali District—Northern Sierra Leone where MEWODA is set to
implement the project. Surveying was done by MEWODA project staff as enumerators
supervised and facilitated by the hired consultant. The survey reached a final total
sample of 150 households interviewed with 90 other participants (mixed group) in
Focus Group Discussions making a total 240 respondents. Both quantitative and
qualitative methods were used in concordance with participatory rural appraisal
methods of Focus Group Discussions; transect walks, seasonal calendars and activity
maps.
Findings from the study revealed women farmers co-exist with co-wives in households
with some having 3 and above children (43.3) sent to school and other family members
working in farming and petty trading as their key livelihoods. Women farmers
interviewed plant rice, groundnut and ginger with groundnut been the crop mainly
planted followed by rice and ginger together with vegetable crops. Though ginger is
found to be less planted, some women farmers expressed interest in doing an
experiment with the crop as confidence is given by others for the crop to have the
potential for processing and marketing opportunities.

Findings revealed that the average return yield for a bushel of rice planted is between 1
to 5 bushels (50%) whilst groundnuts is estimated at 1 to 5 bushels (68%). Estimated
average yields of ginger were however vague (74%) followed by all estimated yield for
rice, groundnuts and ginger per year. The study further revealed that women farmers
currently have no access to value chain addition facilities for milling and threshing for
their farm products. Those women farmers found to be engaged in group farming
(47%) are confirmed to merely be in “women communal labor groups” and not the true
sense of farming cooperatives.

Major source of income is found to be farming and petty trading whilst husbands (men)
are reported to keep income generated by women within households (63%) and further
decide what to buy for the household and what to spend money on (50%) in
consultation with the wives. Women farmers are also found to pay for labor, tools,
seeds and food for work for rice cultivation (67%). The study discovered that a bushel
of un-milled rice at farm gate is 55,000 Leones whilst a bushel of milled rice is
estimated at 70,000 Leones. A bushel of un-milled groundnuts is estimated at 55,000
Leones and above whilst a bushel of milled groundnuts is estimated at 70,000 Leones
(50%). However, estimated costs for ginger were vague but slated at 100,000 to
120,000 thousand Leones and women farmers mainly get information on market prices
on their products from women traders (70%) entering their communities from urban
areas and also mainly sell their products within the Makeni City Market (79%).

6
Men and women are found to be present in decision making within households. Some
communities are also found to have strong women leaders who participate in the
governance of the community (67%) whilst household properties are mainly controlled
by men with women gradually taking part. Furthermore, decisions are mainly made
around farming and household finances followed by education and health whilst women
in households showed that they do not report incidences of molestation and domestic
abuse (87%) to the police or any legal authority and further experience many post
traumatic stresses even whilst currently experiencing an estimated frequency of
violence monthly (43%).

It is therefore recommended that the selection of women farmers as beneficiaries for

the project should consider women co-wives with four children or more and are
cultivating rice and groundnuts with expressed willingness to cultivate ginger as a crop
to be sold and not regularly consumed within households. Women single-parents and
widows should be considered a priority.

It is also recommended that support should be given to women farmers with diversified
seed inputs with encouragement to cultivate ginger as a key alternative crop for
marketing and linkages to emerging processing and marketing opportunities for the
crop. Women farmers should also have access to affordable value chain addition
infrastructures and machinery to enable women add value to their products in order to
gain competitive market prices. Access to affordable transportation for their goods from
farm-gate to value chain addition facilities and to the local market will be an added
advantage. It is also recommended that women farming cooperatives are established
within beneficiary communities with a clear and complete sense of direction for women
farmers. As this has the possibility to generate increased farm product cultivation with
diversified crops.

Capacities of women farmers should be built around the cultivation and regular
maintenance of IVS more as upland farming is associated with environmental hazards
and the destruction of the forest and micro organisms and soil erosion. Trainings
should also be focused on business and leadership skills followed by support for
women to take leading roles that ensure they participate in decision making processes
within beneficiary communities as well informed women farmers shall take leadership
roles with dignity and confidence and report personally any abuse to legal authorities.
Finally, MEWODA should ensure farmers are confident to plant ginger and can access
value addition and marketing for the crop. This can be done through the building of
synergies and linkages with nationally and internally potential buyers as gaining a
market for the key farm products supported by the project shall create great dividend
both for the women beneficiary farmers and for MEWODA as a women’s empowerment
organization with full assurance of realizing the key outcomes of the project.

7
1.0: Introduction

Feed the Minds UK and Menna Women’s Development Association (MEWODA) in

Sierra Leone have developed a joint project proposal funded by the Department for
International Development (DFID) under the Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF)
stream through UK Aid Direct after an initial needs assessment and an earlier pilot
project carried out by both organisations in 2013. The project focuses on improving the
outcomes for women involved in agricultural production and food security.

The project directly targets 2,500 rural women from 1,250 households in 50 villages
across the chiefdom to increase both the quantity and quality of rice, groundnuts and
ginger that are already growing in the area, and directly link up to markets (locally,
regionally and internationally) to sell this produce at a rate of 50% higher (average
figure for rice, groundnuts and ginger at national and international markets) than is
available in the immediate locality, with corresponding typical household income
increases.

The purpose of this Livelihood and Gender Baseline study is to get a quick
understanding of the livelihoods, current agricultural practices, market prices, and
access to value chain addition and gender situation of communities in Makarie-Gbanti
Chiefdom where MEWODA is set to implement a Sustainable Livelihood Enhancement
Project for 2,500 rural women farmers. Findings will be used to measure progress on
the achievement of outcomes during the course of the project.
2.0: Baseline aim and objectives

The study aimed to provide representative quantitative and qualitative information on

livelihoods within 15 villages out of the 50 villages proposed for the implementation of
the project within Makarie-Gbanti Chiefdom—Northern Sierra Leone particularly in post
Ebola recovery situation. Baseline information from selected covered the following
thematic areas:
 Current agricultural practices among women farmers – techniques used (pre- and
particularly post harvesting), crops grown, quantities grown, costs involved.
 Income earned by women farmers from agricultural activities and their control over
that income.
 Market prices for rice, groundnuts and ginger in processed and unprocessed forms
relative to prices for other crops.
 General household information: education and literacy levels, use of health and
education services.
 Gender dynamics: women in leadership positions at community level, decision
making at household level, incidence of domestic violence, any differences in these
on the basis of polygamous/non-polygamous household.
 Identification of external economic, political and social factors that are likely to
influence project outcomes

The baseline survey results will be a fundamental part of FTM/DFID/MEWODA’s review

and evaluation strategy. The baseline survey aims to provide the basis to review
evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of the Sustainable Livelihood Enhancement
Project (SLEP) support to women farmers particularly in terms of their livelihoods and
food security. Findings of the survey in MEWODA selected villages and control villages
will be compared with findings at mid-term and, more importantly, at the end of the
Sustainable Livelihoods Enhancement Project (SLEP).
8
3.0: Methodology, resources and budget

3.0.1: Sampling
A random and representative sampling method was used with 15 villages selected out
of 50 villages to allow statistical validity by dividing the chiefdom in three (South-East,
North-West and Central) and randomly select five farming villages in each zone. 150
women were selected from 15 villages for the completion of the survey with an
additional 90 community members – both male and female selected from those villages
to participate in focus group discussions. Women farmers who participated as key
informants were selected on the basis of their engagement in farming for business
within communities with the support of local leaders in identifying them.

A total sample size of 240 respondents (mixed group) from 15 villages chosen with
probability proportional to their number of households (using a process of systematic
random selection from the list of households) and an average of 10 women farmers per
village were interviewed using a formal questionnaire.

Sample size was based on the formula to estimate a proportion in a sample with a
known level of confidence and precision to reflect the proportion in the population. For
example, we could consider the adoption of new livelihoods or agricultural practices.
We assume a large population but don't know the variability among households with
regard to practices being used, we therefore assume p=0.5 (maximum variability).The
list of villages randomly selected for the survey is provided at Annex 2.

3.0.2: Village profiles

The characteristics of each village selected for the survey were documented through a
process of key informant interviews with representatives from the village authorities and
leaders. Enumerators were trained in collecting and recording the required information.

3.0.3: Questionnaire for household survey

The questionnaire for the household survey component of the baseline survey was
designed around key expected outcomes and associated indicators of SLEP 1.
Indicators were also identified around the Cost Model of the project for critical
questions and key assumptions in understanding relevant market information. The aim
was to have a questionnaire that was simple to answer and record responses, and not
take more than 45 minutes on average to complete. There were no open questions in
the questionnaire making recording of answers simple and quick. All questions were
carefully translated and tested and additional response options added as required.
(See Annex 1)

3.0.4: Focus Group Discussions

Qualitative information has been collected by means of focus group discussions
(FGDs) with various community sub-groups. The FGDs were done separately for
farmers and government officials. Five (5) FDGs were completed with farmers with 15
participants in each (mixed men and women and women farmers only) and one (1)
completed with Government officials involving 15 participants from MAFFS 2 and the
District Council Committee on Agriculture. These have used open questions developed
focusing on the six thematic areas of the baseline. FGDs were undertaken in 6 villages
including Panlap Village where the Focus Group Discussions for government officials
1
Sustainable Livelihood Enhancement Project
2
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security
9
was conducted. The Villages where the FGDs took place were Makaprr ll, Mabuya,
Kerefay—Themne, Royainkain, Makulon and Panlap.

3.0.5: Field work resources and logistics

The household interview field work for the baseline survey started on the 29 th
September, 2015 after a day’s training conducted for the enumerators, and data
collection was completed on the 4th October, 2015.Five of MEWODA staff were trained
(3 women and 2 men) and employed for the household survey. Focus group discussion
instructions and checklists were thoroughly discussed, clarified; and were administered
to six randomly selected communities. All 6 FGDs were completed within the time
frame stipulated.

3.0.6: Data analysis and reporting

All questionnaires were checked in the field prior to leaving each village to ensure they
were completed fully and correctly. Questionnaire data was then double entered into an
Excel formatted data base for errors to be identified and corrected systematically until
no transcription/entry errors remained. Analysis was then undertaken using the
Statistical Package for Social Science presenting simple tables and bar charts with
responses frequencies and percentage number of frequency backed by information
gathered in the FDGs to make inferences on key variables of the study.

3.0.7: Limitations of the research

It is important to emphasize some of the main limitations to this study.

Identification of villages where MEWODA operates:

The sampling strategy was based on a random sampling framework within villages
where MEWODA operates. Over the course of implementation of the project it is
expected that the selected villages will change from currently levels of subsistent
farming to farming for business with women playing a leading role in the management
of households and communities. These changes had already begun at the time of
writing. The implications are that by the time of subsequent evaluations there will be a
larger population benefit with increased production and marketing within villages where
the project is implemented in comparison to village communities where MEWODA is
currently not operational.

Selection of control villages:

Selection of “controlled villages”3 is always a difficult undertaking. Ideally control
villages should be similar to ‘treatment’ villages in all characteristics other than previous
MEWODA interventions. Given the lack of socioeconomic information on the villages in
any one township there was little published secondary information with which to make
such a comparison. MEWODA staffs were therefore much more useful in this sense as
they had much experience with some of the communities. Furthermore, while initial
selection of the control may have been appropriate, future development assistance
may impact on control villages selected for interventions by other programs. This will
need to be investigated in subsequent evaluations.

Respondent recall, perceptions and bias

3
Controlled villages are also known to be “treatment” villages-----villages where the project shall directly
be implemented as compared to villages where this specific project shall not be implemented but
MEWODA already has presence with current other projects.

10
It is important to acknowledge that the data collected are influenced, as in all question-
based surveys, on respondent knowledge of their own household (livelihoods and food
security), on the accuracy of their recall, and on various biases that influence
responses, among other factors. Interviewer skills and approach are also important;
particularly the extent of probing in questions demanding multiple responses (e.g.,
sources of household income). Questions for which responses are least likely to be
accurate include those on:
• Average household monthly income from all sources
• Crop areas
• Crop yields
• Comparisons of household income, food security, opportunities and other variables
with previous years.

The first three of the above are generally difficult to collect accurately and last of these
may be influenced by respondents’ hopes for future project support.

4.0: BASELINE SURVEY FINDINGS

Table 1: Average population size per household

Number per HH Response Frequency % number of Freq
1-3 25 16.7%
3-6 38 25.3%
6 and Above 87 58%
Totals 150 100%

All women interviewed are engaged in farming within their households with many
having 6 and above members in their households. Those who are married are found to
share one husband either 1 or 2 other women as mates 4. Those who are not married
live as single parents as result of being a widow or abandoned by the husband. There
are those who remain widows because their husbands were victims of the Ebola
scourge within their communities as some communities indicated in the FDGs with
many survivors and orphans.

Table 2: Average number of co-wives in polygamous households

 Number of mates in HHs Response Frequency % number of Freq
1 40 51.3
2 25 32.05
3 7 8.97
4 6 7.69
Totals 150 100%

Findings also the highest number of mates with women interviewed in households is
between 1 and 4 depending on the religious beliefs of the male head of the household.
Polygamy is common according respondents within focus group discussions and that
Muslim men are allowed to take a maximum of 4 wives and that even though
Christianity prohibits that, some Christian men do take 2 or more wives citing the need

4
Mates here refers to another woman you legally share a husband with.
11
for labor support within households. Women reported sharing 3 days each in the
bedroom with 1 husband.

Table 3: Average numbers of children women farmers have households

Number of children Response Frequency % number of Freq
2 20 13.3
3 40 26.7
4 27 18
5 or more 63 42
Totals 150 100%

All women interviewed reported they have children in their marriage households with
the highest having 5 and above children. Also, households with 3 wives are reported to
have more children as children are considered a blessing and are needed to continue
the family lineage and farm labor. However, some women in the study are beginning to
understand and explain the implication of having many children as the average woman
farmer in a household gives birth to four or more children. Some also cited that they
cannot live in a marriage household with mates (other wives) without giving birth to
children because each woman shall depend on her own children to take care of her in
her old age.

Figure 1: Those who work in the farm within women farmers’ households

A Bar Chart showing who works in

the farm within the household.
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Husbands Wives Children others (H&W)
Household Members

Women interviewed 62% of all adult members in the household work in the farm.
Others showed they are engaged in other activities within the household whilst others
revealed it is only husband and wives that work in the farm with women doing more
work than men (covering planting, weeding, fetching wood for fuel, slashing, cooking
etc.) as revealed by participants in the Focus Group Discussions. Women still bear the
brunt of farm work as shown by all who participated in the focus group discussions
including government officials.
Table 4: Average number of children in school within households
HH with children in School Response Frequency % number of Freq
Yes 110 73.3
No 40 26.7
Totals 150 100%
Children in School within HH Response Frequency % number of Freq
2 55 36.7
12
3 30 20
4 and above 65 43.3
Totals 150 100%

Women interviewed also reported that their children complete 3 or more day in school
on an average week (73.3) meaning households do send their children to school on a
daily basis. Even though some communities do have physical school infrastructures
supported by government, others send their children 3 to five miles off to the nearest
community school making it more challenging for some children to complete primary
education as revealed by participants in the focus group discussions. The number of
children sent to school within households varies from 3 to 4. Participants in the FGDs
equally revealed that even though the government policy stipulates free education for
children in primary school especially the girl-child, poor rural households still struggle to
cover charges on school uniforms, books, pens and other school charges as required
by school administrations within communities. The Ebola crisis also contributed to non-
school going within rural communities for almost a year as all schools were closed until
lately. FGDs further revealed that the national education policy is not allowing
household members to keep their children from school especially within primary school
attendance.

Figure 2: forms of treatment households’ access when members fall sick

Pie Chart showing forms of treatment

household access within communities
5
Clinics
Hospital
65 80 Herbalist
others

On the issue of where household members report in the event that they fall sick within
communities, households reported that they access the nearest Peripheral Health Unit
(PHU) (80%), the herbalists (5%), the hospital (15%) whilst other respondents could
select more than one option and others. Though women in households reported that
they access the nearest PHU (80%) and the hospital (15%), they indicated that the
nearest PHU from their communities is 3 miles and above (50%), 1 to 2 miles (23.3%)
and 2 to 3 miles (26.7%).

Figure 3: forms of assistance received by sick persons within women farmers’ households

13
 Pie Chart showing the forms of assistance received by sick
persons within households
6
8 Financial
Medical
Livelihood
Others

72% of women interviewed showed they have no sick person currently in their
households. This also implies the fear of keeping a sick person as communities are
well informed of the risks involved during the current Ebola situation whilst 28%
reported they have sick persons but not related to the Ebola Virus Disease. Those who
reported they have sick persons indicated the victims receive no assistance (52.4%)
and those with assistance (47.6%) received either financially, medically or livelihood
support.

Table 5: Estimated number of years in farming by women farmers

No. of years in farming Response Frequency %number of frequency
1-2 years 44 29.3
2 or more years 106 70.7

Women farmers are in agricultural activities; some reported they had been farming for 1
to 2 years now (29.3%) whilst other showed they had been farming for 2 and more
years now (70.7%). Those who indicate they have not been in farming for long are on
average the youngest women farmers who also showed their desire for agribusiness
and are most engaged in petty trading also. Women farmers who showed they had
been in farming for long are on average, older and some with children and grand
children now supporting their farming.

Figure 4: different types of crops grown by women farmers

90 A Colum Chart showing the different types of Crop women farmers grow within
the household
80 83
70
60
50
40
30
30
20 24
10
0 9
4
Rice Ginger groundnuts vegetables All of them Types of Crops

The majority of women farmers interviewed showed less interest in ginger cultivation
citing in the FGDs that ginger thrives only in forested areas and that there are no forms
14
of value chain addition skills to ginger save winnowing and bagging with no real access
to a better market. Groundnuts however is found to be the crop mostly planted followed
by vegetables (garden eggs, pepper, okra and cucumbers) and rice. However, the few
women farmers who are engaged in ginger cultivation mentioned in focus group
discussions that they have only recently been experimenting the cultivating of ginger as
a cash crop. They are currently cultivating ginger in a small scale for now but firmly
convinced ginger shall be useful as a crop for the market. Most participants compared
ginger to rice mentioning that ginger is hardly consumed like rice and groundnuts within
households. Though women farmers mentioned that they presently have no apparent
market, ginger processing skills and value chain addition infrastructures, ginger is set to
be the main marketing crop they would be willing to rely on for marketing purposes
followed by groundnuts and rice. Stakeholders in the focus groups from MAFFS and
the District Council mentioned a few currently available opportunities for the processing
and marketing of ginger. They mentioned the Growth Center in Binkolo Town, a
distance of five miles from Panlap Town (MEWODA Office Area) but many miles from
other remote communities covered in this study. The Growth Center is an agro-
processing and skills training center for youths that has begun processing local farm
produce including the Moringa (Drum Stick) and recently ginger for use as local tea.
However, this center is just at its initial stage with much administrative challenges as
revealed by participants in the discussions.

Women farmers further indicated that groundnuts is easily cultivated with less work that
can be done even by women and sometimes with less support from men in the
households as compared to upland rice cultivation that takes the toil on almost all
household member. Groundnuts is harvested at the peak of the rainy season (August)
also known to poor rural farmers here as the “hunger season” within poor households
at the time when the majority of households would have planted all the remaining rice
they may have in seed banks. Groundnut is generally also sold un-milled; whilst selling
the milled is an added advantage to the farmer and serves as a strong option for
household survival in the rainy season whilst waiting till November, December and
January for rice harvest.

Though rice is planted by women farmers, our findings revealed to the surprise of the
team that communities strongly rely on groundnuts for agribusiness as groundnuts is
easily cultivated, processed and marketed. Rice on the other hand depends on the
other hand, though is the main staple food within communities, the proportion at which
it is planted is minimal as compared to rice. Discussions with participants in the FGDs
noted the methods of farming used by women as the key challenge to planting rice in
huge production quantities. Women farmers cited their method of rice farming as key
challenge to huge rice production. Women mainly cultivate uplands in the dense rainy
season. Upland farming on the other hand requires land preparation which begins with
cutting down of trees, burnings, thrashing, and planting, weeding, pest control etc.; a
work that is very tedious for women and men equally. Also, Women farmers
interviewed indicated that their households cultivate an average piece of land of 2 or
more acres (41.3%) and 1 acre annually (58.7). Those who cultivate only an acre are of

15
the highest percentage frequency in all the responses even within the Focus Group
Discussions. This also points to the rigors of upland rice cultivation as compared to
groundnuts. The findings were a surprise to the team as our general perceptions had
been rice cultivation to be the highest within as rice is the main staple food in the
country. It is noted that the majority of women interviewed plant rice not for large scale
business but for household food security and most of the rice farming the majority are
engaged in are rice farms cultivated by their husbands of whom they are oblige to fully
participate in. Though participants in the FGDs especially government agents,
responded that they had been encouraging women farmers to plant more of rice as the
country still imports rice but this study seeming shows no progress in that so far.
However, some communities do have rice farmers especially men farmers who
cultivate rice in a large scale using agro-machines provided by the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security through a scheme that supports famers
cultivating rice on a large scale within the chiefdom and some communities covered.

Figure 5: Type of farming women farmers are engaged in within households

A Bar Chart showing the type of farming hoseholds are

engaged in.
120
100 106
80
60
40
20 31

0 13
Upland Inland Valley others
Swamps
Farming types inthe Community

Upland farming is found to be the major type of farming women are engaged in within
communities. They plant groundnuts and rice cultivating upland. Inland Valley
Swamps are found to be used mainly in the dry season for vegetable cultivation
though a proportion of those interviewed indicated they also cultivate rice in IVS.
Almost every community covered has a form of Inland Valley Swamp though the sizes
and usage vary a lot. Some IVS are more prone to floods and running water as
streams in the dense rainy seasons that make them unfit for cultivation. Other farmers
gauge their use by planting rice in them early before the heavy down pour of rains
Therefore both types of farming are used for cultivation but vary only by the proportion
at which they are used.

Figure 6: planting methods used by communities

16
 A Pie Chart showing the various Planting
Methods used within communities

4 2 14 Spacing
23 Irrigation
Wedding
Seasonal
107 Calendar
Mixed
cropping

The majority women farmers in households and participants in the FGDs within
communities showed they mainly follow seasonal calendars through observation
between April-May as the initial planting month for groundnuts; June-July for rice and to
December-January as most communities are expected to be harvesting rice cultivated
in IVS to begin to cultivate vegetables in IVS within February-March the period of the
hot dries. This does not imply that the majority of women farmers cultivate rice mainly;
it only shows that women farmers contribute to the farming of rice by other household
members (especially the husband) but the crop is never perceived as theirs except in
few case were women farmers cultivate rice farms that they own directly but the
average proportion is this is very low according to community FGDs conducted and
reflects on the findings on the average acreage a woman farmer cultivates.
Weeding is shown to be the method shown mainly to take the toll on women within
households. Whilst spacing (i.e., planting in order and structure for maximum yield) is
less considered by farmers, irrigation is found to be used by farmers mainly cultivating
crops within IVS in the hot dry season (January, February and March).

Women farmers interviewed reported that when they plant a bushel of rice, (meaning
per every bushel planted) the average yield they gain after harvest is 1 to 5 bushels of
rice (50%), others reported getting 5 to 10 bushels of rice (33%) whilst a few indicated
10 to 15 bushels of rice (17%). However, participants in the FGDs confirmed this to be
5 bushels for every 1 bushel planted. In the case of groundnuts, women farmers
indicated that when they plant a bushel of groundnuts, they expect to get 1 to 5 bushels
of groundnuts (68%) and 5 to 10 bushels (32%). However, the majority of participants
agree it is above 5 bushels especially in a fertile soil. But the same women interviewed
found it difficult to estimate average yields of ginger as the majority indicated they have
no idea (74%) with few that indicated ginger yields 1 to 5 kilos per harvest when a kilo
is planted (19%) with those that indicated 5 to 10 kilos (7%).

Women farmers also reported an average yield per year in rice cultivation as 6 to 10
bushels (43%), more than 10 bushels (27%) and 1 to 5 bushels (30%) whilst
groundnuts is reported to give an average yield of 6 to 10 bushels (47%), more than 10
bushels (13%) and 1 to 5 bushels (40%). However, the proportion of yields per annum
appears in accurate as some women famers cultivate rice and groundnuts twice per
year. For groundnuts, it is May-August for first planting and harvest and September-
November for second planting and harvest.

17
Again, women farmers are found to have a vague understanding of estimation of
annual average yields for ginger cultivation in kilos or baggage. Those who responded
to the question indicated ginger gives an average annual yield of 1 to 10 kilos after a
kilo is planted (40%), 11 to 20 kilos (5%) whilst the rest showed ignorance of ginger
yields per annum (55%).

Figure 7: crops planted by other members of the household

A Bar Chart showing crops planted by other members of
the household plant

50
45
46
40
35
30
25 30
20
15
10 13
5
0 5
2
Rice Groundnuts Cassava Vegetables Others (All)
Types of Crops

Members of the household are also involved in farming according to women farmers
(62%) whilst others indicated there are no other members involved in farming within
their households (38%).

Women interviewed reported that other members of the household cultivate other crops
with groundnut. A groundnut was the crop most often cultivated by other members of
the household followed by cassava and vegetables. Again, rice, supposedly considered
the staple food within communities was reported as being grown by other household
members much less. Women farmers also reported that after harvest they sell some of
what they produce and consumed some (67%), consumed all at home (26%), mill and
sell all (2%) and sell un-milled product (5%). This is confirmed by the participants in the
focus group discussions where it was emphasized that it had been a common practice
amongst women farmers to sell some of what they produce to meet other financial
expenditures within the household and at the same time consume and keep in a seed
bank what is left for the next planting season.

Table 6: how households process their crops after harvest

Method Response Frequency % number of Freq
Drying, winnowing
and baggage 150 100%
Drying, winnowing,
milling and baggage  0
Totals 150 100%

18
Women interviewed further reported that they only process their products through
drying, winnowing and bagging with no current access to any form of milling and
threshing facilities within their communities (100%). Households still only currently used
methods they had known for years with no machinery milling and threshing facilities.
The nearest known to them, as reported, is 5 and above miles around Makarie Village
on the Freetown-Makeni Highway. Women farmers reported they are part of farming
cooperatives within their communities (47%) with those who showed they never belong
to any farming cooperative (53%). The Focus group Discussions showed women
farmers had already been forming farming cooperatives but not to the extent at which
we understand them. Some of those shown as farming cooperatives are merely “farm-
labor cooperatives” for women to support themselves access cheap labor in their
farms. This is done by women rotationally in all phases of the farming season (planting,
weeding, harvesting etc.); but not cooperatives in collective farming, processing and
marketing with regular meetings attended and farm collective stock noted and used
collectively. Those who showed they belong to farming cooperatives indicate a
membership of 1 to 5 members (23%), 5 to 10 members (0%), 10 to 15 members
(20%) and 15 to 20 members (57%). Again, though this membership number (15-20) is
reasonable for the effective functioning of a farming cooperative, in practice women
farmers groups are mere “communal farm labor groups”.

Figure 8: How women farmers cultivate without owning land

A Pie Chart showing how they cultivate without owing a land

10
Leasing
6 23 Owned by the family
owned by Husband
Share Farming
16

Women also indicated that their households own land (63%) as against those
households that do not own land (37%). The majority of women farmers indicated they
can cultivate even without owning land through leasing or cultivate the family land in
consultation with family members. A proportion of women showed they are engaged in
group farming or share farming (practically what women farmers refer to cooperatives
which we discovered to be rather communal labor groups whilst others cultivate on land
owned by the husband.

Figure 9: Other types of crops cultivated apart from rice groundnuts and ginger
19
 A Colum Chart showing the other types of crops cultivated
70
60
50 60
52
40
30
20 26
10
12
0
Corn Vegetables Cassava others (All of them
Type f Cropss

Vegetables are reported to be in the majority of other crops cultivated by women

farmers apart from rice, groundnuts and ginger followed by cassava and corn within
communities with women farmers reporting the use of fertilizers (33%) and others not
using fertilizers (67%). Those who reported they use fertilizers showed they use
inorganic fertilizers (40%) and those who use organic fertilizers within communities
(60%). Women farmers who use fertilizer say they get Government supply through the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) at cost recovery (6%) with
those who said they purchase fertilizers from dealers (84%) and others (10%). Those
who indicated they purchase fertilizers from dealers showed a bag of fertilizer to cost
150,000 Leones (55%) and 200,000 Leones (45%). Discussions on the use of fertilizer
raised both positive and negative options. Women farmers reported that when they use
fertilizer, they generally received great yields especially inorganic fertilizer but that
would lead to dependency on the use of inorganic fertilizer and in years when they
would not have the opportunity to get it, the soil fertility will diminish and lead to low
return in yields. Those who use organic fertilizer reported the rigors of making and
maintaining it with much less yield as compared to those who use inorganic fertilizer.
Participants from the focus group discussions especially those from MAFFS and the
District Council cautioned that the only sustainable way is to build the capacities of
women farmers to generate organic fertilizer using groundnut leaves, chicken dung and
other local materials since it is not always cost effective to procure and use inorganic
fertilizers coupled with much soil depletion and environmental impact.

Figure 10: Various activities men and women typically do within households

20
 A Colum Chart showing activities perform by men and women in the farm.
120
100 100 110 110
80 97 90 90
8070
40 50 50 53 60 60
40 40
0
2 2
d ng ng on ng g ng ad
)
es
s el
lan ghi n ti ati di
sti n
ad i
r o sin r fu Men
he ou Pl
a lic ee ve Gr to bu fo
ngt Pl app W H ar
r m ily od women
i r o
ar ize fa fa
m
gw
ep rti
l m g n
Pr (fr
o in hi
Fe n ag e tc
n F
tio M
a
r ta
po
ans
Tr
Activities Done in the Fram

Women farmers interviewed are found to be involved in almost all major activities of the
household as shown by the chart above. The FDGs confirmed that women farmers are
everywhere work is within the household. A greater portion of women are found to be
involved in weeding, transporting farm goods from farm to market, fetching wood for
fuel, plough, planting and above all managing the affairs of the household. Men are
only found to be more active in land preparation and harvesting.

Figure 11: Household major sources of income

A Chart showing household major sources of

income

1 Farming
26
Petty Trading
Teaching
Weaving
Other
123

The majority of women interviewed revealed that their major source of income is
farming and the selling farm products after harvest. Petty trading is generally done to
complement farming activities and other household needs within communities.
Household monthly income is estimated at 100,000 a month (45%), 50,000 a month
(39%), 250,000 a month (13%) and 500, 000 a month (3%). The average monthly
income from farming alone is estimated at 50,000 a month (60%), 100, 000 a month
(27%), 25,000 a month (13%) with 1,000,000 and above (1%). There are those who
sell their farm produce in the local market (92%) with those who sell elsewhere either to
Guinea or Freetown (8%) though the market to Guinea is current affected by the Ebola
Virus Disease. Agricultural products produced by women in the household are sold by
women themselves (wives 85%) the husbands (15%) and others (0%).

21
Figure 12: Those that sell products produced by other members of the household

A Column Chart showing who sell product produced by

other members of the household
100
78
80
60 49
40
20 10 13
0
Husband Children mates Others
Members of the Family

Data collected from women farmers revealed that children principally sell farm products
produced within households followed by the other wives in polygamous households
and others including uncles, aunts, elderly brothers or sisters as the case may be.
However, husbands (men) are reported to keep income generated by women within
households (63%), the women themselves (wives 33%) and others (4%). In 50% of
households husbands decide what to buy for the household and what to spend money
on and wives (20%), children (5%) with others Husband and wives 25%).

Table 7: what a typical household spends on

HH spending Response Frequency % number of Freq
Daily feeding 12 8%
paying School Fees 0%
Supporting Family members 17 11%
Paying medical bills 1 1%
All of the above 120 80%
Totals 150 100%

The table above shows that an average household within communities spends on all of
the above indicated in the table (80%), whilst others spend on supporting family
members within the household (11%) with daily feeding (8%) and medical (1%). School
charges showed only (0%) whilst probing discussions within the Focus Group
Discussions revealed that communities do not currently pay for the children in school
within rural communities as the Government of Sierra Leone offered to pay for this year
and the coming year as a result of the spread of the EVD.

Figure 13: Who keeps the money generated by other members within households

A Pie Chart showing who keeps income generated by othe

other memebers of the household.
Husband
5
30 Individual
Elderly Members
55 Head Wife
Others
60
22
Money generated by other members of the household from farming within households
is revealed to be kept solely by those who generate the money (individuals) followed by
the elderly members of the family, husband and head wives in polygamous
households. This does not contradict finding on Figure 12 where it was noted that 63%
of households’ husbands keep the income generated by women. Whilst income
generated by other members of the family apart from married women in the household
is kept by themselves who generated the money. Married women are rather inclined in
most cases according FGDs to ensure monies they generate id handled and kept by
the husband in most cases.
Figure 14: Sources of income for the household

A Bar Chart showing other sources of income fo the

household.
80
80
60
40
20 7 6
0 0
0
Petty Trad- Weaving Fishing Tailoring Others
ing
Sources of Income

Households also revealed some other sources of income for the household beginning
with petty trading (80%), weaving (7%) and fishing (13%). Petty trading is mainly done
during the weekly markets (known here as LUMOHs) with mainly food items (rice,
groundnuts, vegetables, used clothing and shoes, and others) for households in remote
communities. They indicated that they only value they add to their products is
winnowing and baggage (72%), milling and baggage (8%), branding (0%), threshing
and bagging (15%) and others (5%). households are found to have other sources of
income apart from farming (62%) and others (38%) as shown by the Bar Chart above.

Table 8: Estimated costs for items purchased for cultivation

Variable Crop Costs (LE) Actual cost (FGDs)
Labor, tools, Rice 100,000 150,000
seed and food Groundnuts 150,000 150,000
for work

Women farmers are found to pay for labor, tools, seeds and food for work for rice
groundnuts cultivation (67%); those who pay only for labor (10%), seeds (6%), tools
(7%) and food for work (10%). However, women interviewed in households do not
adequately know estimated costs associated with items purchased for the cultivation of
ginger. Respondents in the FDGs confirmed that ginger cultivation for marketing is a
new crop to them and cannot adequately estimate costs of production for ginger
specifically. It was further noted that even the estimates given by respondents above
on estimated costs for labor, tools, seeds and food for work are not fully accurate.
Participants in the FGDs noted that estimated costs for those variables shall most often

23
depend on the size of land cultivated and in most cases women farmers cannot fully
account for what they have spent in order to cultivate any crop indicated above;
implying that the 150,000 shown by respondents above is not accurate for some
women farmers.

Women farmers further revealed that they add value to their farm products (65%) as
compared to those who do not (35%) but reported that the only value addition they give
to their farm products is winnowing and bagging (73%), branding (0%), milling and
bagging (7%), threshing and bagging (15%), others (5%) and; value addition is only
done with rice and groundnuts within communities with only milling and bagging. Rice
is milled and bagged whilst groundnuts is also milled and bagged ready for sale in local
markets.

Table 9: Estimated costs for milled and un-milled crops

Crops Status Costs
At farm gate Local market International
market
Bushel of Un-milled 55,000 55,000 Unknown
rice Milled 70,000 75,000 Unknown
Bushel of Un-milled 55,000 55,000 Unknown
groundnuts Milled 70,000 70,000 Unknown
A bag of Un 120,000 120,000 Unknown
ginger processed
Processed Unknown Unknown Unknown

However, the majority of women farmers interviewed could only estimate the cost of
ginger not on kilos but by the cost of a bag which is slated at 100,000 to 120,000
thousand Leones. Participants in the FGDs showed they have no knowledge of how to
process ginger nor have they ever seen where ginger is processed. Ginger is rather
sold as it is harvested and in 50 kilogram rice bags. Therefore the price of ginger per
kilo is out of reach for women farmers.

Women farmers also indicated that they get information on market prices mainly from
women traders entering their communities from urban areas and weekly markets but
not from government, NGOs or Farm Based Organizations and mainly sell their
products within the Makeni City Market (79%), weekly community markets and Farm
Based Organization but have no access yet to agro-processors. Most women farmers
sell their products individually (70%) and as household. This also shows that though
women indicated that they belong to farming cooperatives, they hardly sell farm
products collectively stressing the point that those groups are merely “communal labor
groups”. Some women farmers do access loans for farming (33%) but others do not
access any form of loan for farming (67%). Those who access loan get it from
CBOs/NGOs (56%), from Village Savings Groups (42%) and from other sources (2%).

24
Figure 15: those present when decisions are made in a household

Pie Chart showing who normally present when decision are made in
the household

12 18 Men Only
Men and Women
Women Only

120

Men and women are found to be present whenever major decisions are made in a
household even though some communities reported the presence of men only or
women only as shown in the pie chart above. The majority of participants in the focus
groups agreed that women also participate in the decision making processes in the
household are regularly consulted in major decisions especially the head-wife in a
polygamous household is also obliged inform and involved the other wife or wives as
the case may be. However respondents also indicated that if it is a decision that affects
women only and not men, then the lead house wife shall involve her mates in the
decision making process.

Communities also reported to have strong women leaders who participate in the
governance of the community (67%) as against those who indicated that there are no
women leaders active enough in their communities (33%). Even though the majority of
communities covered are headed by men as local chiefs and village headmen, women
are also found to have key decision making positions as “Mamy Queen” or Chairlady
with the principal responsibility of taking care of women’s affairs and making key
decisions for both men and women in resolving civil and household conflicts deemed
not to be brought to the chiefs.

Figure 16: who directly controls household properties

A Column Chart who is directly incharge of household properties

80
70 75
60 67
50
40
30
20
10
0 8
Men Women other

Women interviewed reported that household properties are mainly controlled by men
even though women now play a leading role in the control of household properties as
shown by Figure 15 above and a few reported it is both ways within the household. The
control of household property here implies having the authority to make decisions on

25
household assets with or without the apparent permission of either the husband or the
wife as the case may be. Participants in the focus groups showed women in some
household do have this leverage especially the head-wife 5 in a polygamous household.

Women farmers also reported having the power to own land for farming (43%) with the
majority denying that they do not have the power to own land (57%). For those women
who can own land for their use reported that they are allowed only 1 acre of land (84%)
and 2 or more (14%). This also shows that the actual farming done by women
individually is minimal as compared to the general household farm mainly directed by
men. This is why women are found to be planting more of groundnuts individually than
rice which the entire household contributes in.

Figure 17: Typical decisions men and women typically make in households

Pie Chart showing the decision in the household that

men and women typically make

15 Education
25
10 Health
Finances
20 Farming
50 Marriage
All of the Above
30

It is revealed that the majority of decisions made in a typical household in all villages
covered are mainly around farming and household finances followed by education and
health. Decisions on marriage are left with the broader community as marriage
decisions in the household are between families according respondents in the FGDs
during the survey. Also, women in households showed that they do report incidences
of molestation and domestic abuse (87%) as against those who do not report (13%).
When further probed on where women victims of domestic abuse report, women
indicated they report to the family members only (73%), to the police (4%) and to the
village heads (23%). Even though women interviewed showed they report incidences of
molestation and violence, the majority of them report only to family members and not to
law enforcement authorities who charged with the responsibility under the 3 Gender
Acts 2007 and the Sexual Offences Act 2014 to bring perpetrators of domestic violence
to justice. It is noted in several FGDs that the majority of women report only to family
member who, to a large extent, continue to maintain traditional stereotypes and beliefs
about women and some negative cultural practices.

5
The elderly wife in a polygamous household: Normally the head-wife is the first woman married by a man.
26
Figure 18: how women in households deal with violence and abuse
A Column Chart showing how women deal violence and molestation at
home
80
40 68
34 38
0 10

Actions taken when faced with violence and molestation

In trying to understand how women feel when they are abused and molested within
households, women reported they feel ashamed (43%), they sometimes get confused
and not knowing what to do (29%), others reported they feel sad (23%) whilst a small
percentage indicated they experience sleepless nights (2%) with those who feel
revengeful (3%). A small portion of women interviewed in the FGDs indicated they just
accept the situation and silently suffer from it; others showed they report to local
authorities and others to elderly family members within the household as shown in the
chart above. Household women farmers were asked to estimate the frequency of
violence experienced within households. They responded that violence within
households occur fortnightly (32%), weekly (20%), others reported they experience
violence daily in their households (5%) and still others experienced violence monthly
(43%). Therefore, women farmers experiencing violence and molestation monthly
within households is still an indication that domestic violence is still rife within
communities.

Women farmers interviewed also showed they have benefited from trainings (27%) as
against those who reported they have never received any form of training (73%). This
implies that the majority of women farmers have had to form of training in farming and
other skills within their communities. The form of trainings received within communities
by women who had gone through some trainings range from gender equity (3%),
farming (33%) with those who indicated the received all of the above (64%). Women
farmers received from NGOs/CBOs (62%) and others (18%) but not from Government
and Religious Groups. Some women have therefore benefited from trainings covering
gender, farming skills and other social protection skills. Respondents from MAFFS
mentioned the Farmers Field School they introduced in communities with support from
IFAD and how it was helping farmers to learn within the farm but however noted that
funding to that program ended a year ago with the spread of the Ebola Virus within
communities reversing much of what was learnt and implemented by farmers.

27
 5.0: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0.1: Conclusions
5.0.1.1: General household information
The study concretely ascertains that women are engaged in farming as their key
livelihoods working with 6 or more members in their households. The majority of
women farmers are married living in polygamous households within rural communities
together with other wives ranging from 1 to 4 sharing the same husband. Polygamy is
therefore prevalent amongst households covered in this study. Women farmers in
households also have children between 1 to 5 with everybody in the household
contributing to farm work with husbands and wives found to be more involved in farm
activities. Some households ensure their children complete 3 to 5 days in school with
the number of children attending school in households ranging from 1 to 3.

Women have also been in farming for a number of years now making it possible for
them to have gained much experience in agricultural activities. But principally plant only
groundnuts and rice. The majority of households interviewed showed less interest in
ginger cultivation citing in the FGDs that ginger thrives only in forested areas (of which
some communities have) and that there are no forms of value chain addition skills to
ginger save winnowing and bagging with no real access to a better market. However,
participants in focus groups especially stakeholders with few women farmers in
households are strongly convinced that ginger, as with groundnuts, shall be an
opportunity for investment in agribusiness as the crop is likely less consumed within
households and a few opportunities are currently emerging for large scale ginger
cultivation and marketing. Groundnuts are however found to be the crop mostly
planted currently by women farmers within households followed by vegetables (garden
eggs, pepper, okra and cucumbers) and rice. Findings further revealed that
communities strongly rely on groundnuts for agribusiness as groundnuts is easily
cultivated, processed and marketed though rice is the main staple food within
communities. Women farmers also considered rigors involved in rice cultivation alone.
Though some women are found to be planting rice, the size and amount cultivated is
far less than groundnuts and most are supporting the husbands in rice cultivation.
Participants in the focus group discussions agreed that in order to cultivate rice in large
quantity, women farmers should strive to do mechanical farming which is considered
costly by women as they still used crude methods of cultivation done all by hands with
hoes and cutlasses. This is reflected even in the amount of land women access for
cultivation as those who cultivate only an acre are of the highest percentage frequency
in all the responses even within the Focus Group Discussions.

5.0.1.2: Agricultural practices within communities

Upland farming in rice and groundnuts is found to be the major type of farming women
are engaged in within communities. Inland Valley Swamps are found to be used mainly
in the dry season for vegetable cultivation though a proportion of women interviewed
indicated they also cultivate rice in IVS. Therefore both types of farming are used for
cultivation but varied only by the proportion at which they used. This system of farming
had been used for years here but considerably has many ecological and environmental
28
implications as it involves cutting down of the forest, burning, thrashing etc. Women in
some communities who cultivate in IVS would have to wait and gauge the season to as
to be able to plant in the IVS as some IVS turn to streams with heavy water flow in the
dense rainy season. However, some communities with better IVS need only to improve
them through banking and drainage building in the rainy seasons to control the water
flow in them. Furthermore, households mainly follow seasonal calendars observing
between April-May as the initial planting month for groundnuts, June-July for rice to
December and January as most communities are expected to be harvesting rice
cultivated in IVS to begin to cultivate vegetables in IVS within February-March the
period of the hot dries.

The average yield women farmers’ gain from planting a bushel of rice is between 1 to5
bushels of rice after harvest. Those who gain a yield of 5 to 10 bushel per bushel
planted further clarified that the issue depends on the fertility of the soil and the use of
fertilizers. Groundnuts on the other hand, as an average yield of 1 to 5 bushels per
bushel planted. However, it was difficult to estimate average yields of ginger as the
majority of women and other participants interviewed indicated they have no idea with
only few indicating ginger yields 1 to 5 bags per harvest when a bag is planted. Noted
also was the use of kilos rather than bags as ginger is sold here, not by kilos but by
bag. Households are found to have a vague understanding of estimation of annual
average yields for ginger cultivation in kilos or baggage but roughly estimated to give
an annual yield of 10 kilos per kilo planted.

We found out that there are other members of the household that are also involved in
farming and cultivate other crops with groundnut being the majority of the crops
cultivated followed by cassava and vegetables. However, rice, which is supposedly
considered the staple food within communities, receives less attention amongst women
farmers citing the numerous challenges of rice cultivation and the tendency to support
the husband in his rice farm as the household farm. What is produced within
households is either sold to meet other financial expenditures with some consumed or
kept for the next planting season as the case may be. This shows that the levels of
farming within women farmers interviewed is still subsistent and participants in the
focus groups agreed that there still no large scale or real agribusiness farming done by
women farmers as it involves huge capitals to embark on large scale rice or groundnuts
farming within communities covered in the study. Aldo, the only form of food processing
known to households in the study are drying, winnowing and bagging with no current
access to any form of milling and threshing facilities within their communities.
Households still only currently used methods they had been known for years with no
machinery milling and threshing facilities. The nearest known to them, as reported, is 5
and above miles around Makarie Village on the Freetown-Makeni Highway.

Even though women farmers indicated they belong to farming cooperatives with the
greater number showing they never belong to any farming cooperative, these indicated
farming cooperatives or groups are discovered to be mere “communal labor groups”
which women rely on to make their work in their individual farms easier. They are not

29
function in the true sense of farming cooperatives where the groups owns the seeds,
plant, harvest and sell collectively. Membership in these groups is between15 to 20
members.

Women in some households are found to own land for cultivation though women
generally can also cultivate even without owning land through leasing or cultivate the
family land in consultation with family members. Vegetables are reported to be in the
majority of other crops cultivated apart from rice, groundnuts and ginger followed by
cassava and corn within communities with women farmers reporting the using both
organic and inorganic fertilizers. Those who ruse fertilizers use mainly organic fertilizers
which they can prepare and access within communities as a bag of fertilizer is shown to
cost 150,000 Leones. Respondents from MAFFS showed that fertilizers given to rural
farmers from the part of government is given not free but on cost recovery whilst the
majority women farmers access inorganic fertilizer through dealers who in most cases
are scrupulous. Women are also found to be involved in weeding, transporting farm
goods from farm to market, fetching wood for fuel, plough, planting and above all
managing the affairs of the household. Men are only found to be more active in land
preparation, planting and harvesting.

5.0.1.3: Income generated, control and use

The major source of income for households is farming and selling of farm products after
harvest. Petty trading is generally done to complement farming activities and other
household needs within communities. Household monthly income is estimated at
100,000 a month whilst the average monthly income from farming alone is estimated at
50,000 a month. These figures were confirmed in the focus group discussions as not
been accurate and realistic as was clearly indicated under the limitations for this study
in area of respondents’ recall, perceptions and bias in estimating their true average
monthly income from farming and other livelihood activities.

Women farmers also sell their farm produce in the local market with other having the
opportunity to sell elsewhere either to Guinea or Freetown. However, selling to
Freetown has only resumed lately because of the spread of the EVD whilst selling farm
products to Guinea is on hold for now. Children are shown to sell farm products
produced within households followed by the mates (other wife or wives as the case
may be) in polygamous households. However, husbands (men) are reported to keep
income generated by women within households. Husbands also decide what to buy for
the household and what to spend money on. However, some women interviewed
showed that they control the money and decides what to spend on if the money was
solely generated by them without the interference of their husbands or other members
of the household.

The average household spends on education, health, family members, feeding, farm
labor and tools and monies generated by other members of the household from farming
is kept solely by those who generate the money (individuals) followed by the elderly
members of the family, husband and head wives in polygamous households. Women in
household also add minimal value to their products by winnowing and bagging rice and
groundnuts with access to other sources of income apart from farming alone. There are
30
real other expenditures to cultivate rice and groundnuts covering payment for to pay for
labor, tools, seeds and food for work is estimated at 100,000 to 150,000. Again these
estimates are shown in group discussions to be inaccurate. Some women farmers do
not actually know what they spend on labor, tools and food for work. Some of these are
just taken for granted but cost more than what is even indicated according to
respondents. However, estimated costs associated with items purchased for the
cultivation of ginger are still vague as households confirmed that ginger cultivation for
marketing is a new crop to them and cannot adequately estimate costs of production
for ginger specifically.

A bushel of un-milled rice at farm at farm gate is reported 55,000 Leones whilst a
bushel of milled rice is estimated at 60,000 to 70,000 Leone. A bushel of un-milled
groundnuts is estimated at 55,000 Leones and above whilst a bushel of milled
groundnuts is estimated at 70,000 Leones. However, the majority of farmers
interviewed could only estimate the cost of ginger not by kilos but by the cost of the bag
which is slated at 100,000 to 120,000 thousand Leones. Participants in the FGDs
showed they have no knowledge of how to process ginger nor have they ever seen
where ginger is processed. Ginger is rather sold as it is harvested and in 50 kilogram
bags. Therefore the price of ginger per kilo is out of reach for women farmers.

5.0.1.4: Marketing and gender dynamics

Women farmers interviewed get information on market prices mainly from women
traders entering their communities from urban areas and weekly markets whilst the
majority only sells their products within the Makeni City Market and the surrounding
weekly community markets (locally known as LUMOHs). Most women farmers sell their
products individually or as household. Others also access loans for farming but the
majority do not access any form of loan. Those who access loan get it from
CBOs/NGOs and Village Savings Groups.

Men and women are found to be present in major decision making within the household
whilst others reported the presence of men only or women only as the case may be.
Women in households are also found to participate in decision making and are
consulted by their husbands. However, if it is a decision that affects women only and
not men, then the lead house wife shall involve her mates in the decision making
process. Communities are found to have strong women leaders who participate in the
governance of the community either as “Mamy Queens” or Chairladies a phenomenon
that gradually beacons change within communities. However, household properties are
still mainly controlled by men even though women now play a leading role in the control
of household properties with women reporting having the power to own land for farming
and can cultivate 1 to 2 acres of land.

The majority of decisions made in the household are mainly around farming and
household finances followed by education and health. Decisions on marriage are left
with the broader community as marriage decisions in the household are between
families according respondents in the FGDs during the survey. Also, women in
households still experienced incidences of molestation and domestic abuse. Women
31
victims of domestic abuse report mainly to family members and not to the police
making it more difficult for law enforcement agents to arrest and prosecute perpetrators
of domestic violence within rural communities. Women who are molested and abused
experience all sorts psychological traumas with being ashamed evident in their lives. A
few reported that they just accept the situation and silently suffer from it though others
report to local authorities and still others to elderly family members who do little or
nothing about it. The estimated frequency of violence experienced by women occurs
monthly indicating that there still real challenges to domestic violence and abuse within
communities.

Finally, only few women farmers have benefited from trainings as against those who
reported they have never received any form of training. Form of trainings received
within communities range from gender equity, farming and others. The trainings were
received from NGOs/CBOs and others but not from Government and Religious Groups.

5.0.2: Recommendations
5.0.2.1: Programming

Beneficiary selection:
The discovery of women farmers with the majority living and working with co-wives
shows the prevalence of Polygamy in households covered. Whilst a few live as widows
and single parents, almost all have husbands and live with children and other members
of the family doing farming and petty trading. Selection of women farmers as
beneficiaries for the project should consider women co-wives with four children or more
and are cultivating rice and groundnuts with expressed willingness to cultivate ginger
as a crop to be sold and not regularly consumed within households. Women single-
parents and widows should be considered a priority. Future assessment of progress
made by the project shall very likely measure concrete outcomes of the project when
the most vulnerable women farmers who are co-wives, widows and single-parents with
children fully engaged during project implementation phase 1.
Support for seed inputs:
Groundnuts and rice are highly cultivated as against ginger which is reported to be a
crop only recently introduced with a few women farmers also currently doing
experiment on the crop. Though rice is cultivated less by women farmers with the
majority only giving support to rice farms initiated by their husbands, some women are
known to have much interest in large scale cultivation of rice given the same
opportunities as men. The project should support women farmers with diversified seed
inputs (principally rice, groundnuts and ginger) and strongly encourage them to
cultivate ginger as a key alternative crop for marketing and link them to emerging
processing and marketing opportunities for the crop. Supporting women farmers’
interest for increased production of rice and ginger would likely strengthened food
security with increased income within women farmers’ households. Women farmers’
households that are prone to consuming more of their farm products especially rice as
it serves as the main staple food within households shall now have the opportunity for
increased marketing of rice and at the same time maintaining reserves for regular
annual cultivation. Ginger, on the other hand, also has the possibility to bring more

32
income as ginger is hardly consumed like rice and groundnuts. Increased outputs of
ginger and rice shall therefore complement both food security and the possibility for
increased income within beneficiary women farmers’ households.

Support for accessible and affordable value chain addition infrastructures and
transportation:
It was noted that the average yield women farmers’ gain from planting a bushel of rice
is between 1 to 5 bushels of rice after harvest whilst for ginger it was roughly indicated
between 1 to 5 bags (not kilos) and groundnuts between 1 to 5 bushels but there were
seemingly inaccurate estimations of annual average yields for each crops by women
farmers in households. This is followed the apparent absence of accessible and
affordable value chain addition infrastructures and machinery for women farmers apart
from even further challenges of transportation from farm gate to market. The project
should support women farmers have access to affordable value chain addition
infrastructures and machinery to enable women farmers add value to their products in
order for them to gain competitive market prices. Also, support women beneficiaries to
access affordable transportation for their goods from farm-gate to value chain addition
facilities and to the local market giving the possibility for an all rounded program
support that contributes to considerable reduction of farm capital inputs for women
farmers with increased annual average yields in income and production.

Establish and support women farmers’ cooperatives:

Farming cooperatives women farmers indicated they formed and belong in are noted to
be not really farming cooperatives as the majority are confirmed to be mere “women
communal labor groups” which women rely on for ease in individual women’s farming
with mainly groundnut and vegetables. They are found to be not functioning in the true
sense of farming cooperatives. Establish women farming cooperatives within
communities with a clear and complete sense of direction for women farmers with
limited membership of 15 to 20 farmers per farming cooperative. Women working in an
organized farming cooperative and a clear sense of purpose have the possibility to
generate increased farm product cultivation with diversified crops that can flood value
chain addition facilities and eventually the market. The consequent outcome would be
increased food security and income for women farmers in households.

Trainings/capacity building:
Women farmers are found to be involved more in upland cultivation much rigors and
challenges except for groundnut cultivation annually done on regularly cultivated
uplands. Encourage women farmers and build their capacities in the cultivation and
regular maintenance of IVS more as upland farming is hectic and associated with
environmental hazards and the destruction of the forest and micro organisms and soil
erosion. IVS can be planted year round whilst upland farming depends on the seasonal
calendar (April-May as the initial planting month to December-January). The regular
use of IVS by women famers ensures women cultivate diverse crops year round with
the possibility for increased production and available farm products at household level
and the local market.

33
As women farmers gradually gain the possibility for access to affordable value chain
addition facilities within communities, the consequent implication is for them to have the
capacity needed (knowledge and skills) to handle and operate well with the facilities
and their management. This shall boost the confidence of women farmers in crop
cultivation and enable them gain income from their products. Also, training modules in
business and value chain addition skills should be integrated to ensure women farmers
benefit from the farming they do and fully concentrate on farming for business.

Women in households were also found to own land for cultivation with much possibility
for some to cultivate even without owning land. On the other hand, women in
households still suffer one form of abuse or another monthly whilst men are still found
to have control of household income generated from farm work. Integrate training
modules that cover issues of access to land, domestic violence and leadership skills for
women farmers and link women to appropriate complaint channels when faced
molestation and abuse. Well informed women farmers shall take leadership roles with
dignity and confidence and report personally experienced abuse to legal authorities.
Consequently, informed, confident and ambitious women beneficiaries contribute to the
desired outcomes of a project. Moreover, train women farmers in Gender Based
Violence and Human Rights especially the right to access and use land for cultivation
and other purposes.

The use of fertilizers by women farmers is evident with women farmers mainly relying
on organic fertilizer as against the imported. Women farmers should be fully informed
on the positive and negative effects of using inorganic fertilizers and be allowed to
make choices. Those women farmers willing to improve their skills in the development
and use of organic fertilizer should be supported and trained using locally available
materials (leaves, cow and chicken dung). Support for inorganic fertilizer when
introduced has the potential to generate great yields but creates a culture of
dependency on external supplies on the part of poor women farmers with much soil
depletion in the long run. It is not sustainable for poor rural women farmers.

Sensitization for local communities:

Both upland and IVS farming are used for cultivation. This system of farming had been
used for years with considerable ecological and environmental consequences
especially upland farming as it involves the cutting down of the forest, burning,
thrashing etc. Sensitize communities to cultivate IVS more with the potential to cultivate
crops throughout the year. Yearly waiting on for the rains to cultivate crops on a large
scale affects farm products availability and supply. For example, in some communities,
you hardly find a fresh corn on the street mid February and March.

The project team should do more to ensure men and women are fully engaged within
communities to improve their relations and work in farming and ensure women are
protected from abuse and violence within households through regular community public
forums conducted within beneficiary communities. Also, deliberate effort of making
beneficiary communities be well informed in gender equity has the potential to turn

34
tables round in the management and control of income generated within beneficiary
households from farming. The involvement of women in decision making processes
and making them participate should throughout be emphasized by the project team
during the implementation the project.

The reality that women in households still experienced incidences of molestation and
domestic abuse approximately monthly is stark. Women victims of domestic abuse
should be informed and encouraged to report directly to the police or the local chiefs
but not to family members who have the tendency to condone wrongful acts
perpetrated towards women shrouded in beliefs and culture; and give psychological
support given to victims by linking organizations directly in social protection within
communities

5.0.2.2: Managerial:
As prices for rice and groundnuts both at farm gate and the local markets are known
though generally fluctuating, MEWODA needs to do more to ensure farmers are
confident to plant ginger and can access value addition and marketing for the crop.
Management should build synergies and linkages with nationally and internally
potential buyers for women farmers through research and consultations. Gaining a
market for the key farm products supported by the project shall create great dividend
both for the women beneficiary farmers and for MEWODA as a women’s empowerment
organization with full assurance of realizing the key outcomes of the project.

Communities are in dire need of access to value chain facilities for milling and
threshing. The old methods are not enough and they add only little value which makes
rural women farmers’ products uncompetitive even within the local market.
Management should ensure value chain infrastructure established to support the
realization of outcomes for this project are properly managed and maintained.

Strengthen advocacy through lobbying family land owners and community leaders for
women to continue to access more land for large cultivation where need be with
vegetables and other crops planted. MEWODA should also ensure women farmers
gain improved access to information on market prices as poor rural women farmers are
vulnerable to scrupulous traders entering their communities from urban towns. When
poor rural women farmers are well informed of current prices for the farm products,
they like would make better prices. Finally, the project management team should
ensure all aspects of the project are monitored regularly for effective delivery and
maximum impact

ANNEX 1: Baseline Questionnaire

35
 LIVELIHOODS AND GENDER BASELINE ASSESSMENT

The purpose of this Livelihood and Gender Baseline study is to get a quick understanding of the food
security, livelihoods and gender situation of communities in Makarie-Gbanti Chiefdom where MEWODA
is set to implement a Sustainable Livelihood Enhancement Project for 2,500 rural women farmers. The
results of this assessment are aimed to inform the design of the project logical framework in order to
accurately measure progress made on all impact and outcome indicators of the project during its first
year of implementation.

STRUCTURE OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE6

 General household information: education and literacy levels, use of health and education
services.
 Current agricultural practices among women farmers – techniques used (pre- and particularly
post harvesting), crops grown, quantities grown, costs involved.
 Income earned by women farmers from agricultural activities and their control over that
income.
 Market prices for rice, groundnuts and ginger in processed and unprocessed forms relative to
prices for other crops.
 Gender dynamics: women in leadership positions at community level, decision making at
household level, incidence of domestic violence, any differences in these on the basis of
polygamous/non-polygamous household.
 Identification of external economic, political and social factors that are likely to influence
project outcomes

Personal and Demographic information

Name of interviewer
Time of interview
Date
Name of Community
Number of houses within the community
Estimated number of households7
Name of interviewee

Sex of interviewee
Name of the village head
Sex of the village head

Section 1:General Household Information

Q.No. Questions Grade Point (1,2,3,4 and 5)
1 Are you a farmer?
1=yes 2=No (if no, stop the interview. If yes, go to Q2)
2 How many members are in your household
1=1-3 2=3-6, 3=6 and above
3 Are you married?
1=yes 2=No (if yes, go to Q4)

6
Informed by the deliverables agreed upon in the ToR for the baseline study
7
Calculated from the number of houses with 5 households per house
36
4 Does your husband have other wives? (if yes, go to Q)
1=Yes, 2=No (Skip Q5)
5 How many mates do you have?
1=1, 2=3, 3=3, 4=4
6 Do you have children?
1=yes 2=No (if yes, go to Q7)
7 How many children do you have
1=2; 2=3, 3=4; 4=5 or more
8 Does everybody in your household work in the farm?
1=Yes, 2=No (If no, go to Q9)
9 Who works in the farm in your household?
1=Husbands, 2=wives, 3=children, 4=others (specify)
10 Do your children complete 3 or more days at school on an
average week
1 =yes 2=No
11 How many of them go to school?
1=2; 2=3; 3=all of them
12 When members of your household fall sick what form of
treatment do you access?
1= clinic; 2=hospital; 3=herbalists 4=others (specify)
13 How far is the distance to a nearby Peripheral Health Unit
(PHU)
1=1-2 miles, 2= 2-3 miles, 3=3 and above miles
14 Is there currently a sick or disable person in your household
1=yes 2=no (if yes, go to Q-16)
15 Does this person access any form of assistance? (if yes, go to
Q)1=Yes, 2=No
16 What form of assistance does the person receive?
1=financial, 2=medical, 3=livelihood, 4=others (specify)
Section 2:Current agricultural practices
17 What crops do you grow yearly
1=rice, 2-ginger, 3=groundnuts, 4=vegetables, 5=all of the
above
18 How many years have you been farming the crop?
1= 1-2 years, 2= 2 or More
19 How many acres do you cultivate annually?
1=1 acre 2=2 0r more acres
20 What type of farming are you engaged in?
1=upland, 2=Inland valley Swamps, 3=others (specify)
21 What methods of planting do you use to ensure greater yield?
1=spacing, 2=irrigation, 3=weeding, 4=Seasonal calendars,
5=mixed cropping
22 When you plant a bushel of rice, how much bushels do you
gain after harvest?
1= 1-5 bushels, 2=5-10 bushels, 3=10-15 bushels, 4=15-20
bushels, 5= 20 0r more

37
23 When you plant a bushel of groundnuts, how much bushels do
you gain after harvest?
1= 1-5 bushels, 2=5-10 bushels, 3=10-15 bushels, 4=15-20
bushels, 5= 20 0r more
24 When you plant a kilo of ginger, how many kilos do you gain
after harvest?
1= 1-5 bushels, 2=5-10 bushels, 3=10-15 bushels, 4=15-20
bushels, 5= 20 0r more
25 What is your average crop yield per year in ricecultivation?
(Skip this question is respondent only cultivate rice and not
groundnuts)
1=1-5 bushels; 2= 6-10 bushels 3= more than 10 bushels
26 What is your average crop yield per year in groundnuts
cultivation? (Skip this question is respondent only cultivate rice
and not groundnuts)
1=1-5 bushels; 2= 6-10 bushels 3= more than 10 bushels
27 What is your average crop yield per year in ginger cultivation?
(Skip this question is respondent only cultivate rice and
groundnuts and not ginger)
1= 1-10 KGs, 2=11-20 KGs 3= more than 20KGs
28 Are other members of your household also doing farming?
1=Yes, 2=No, (if yes, go to Q29)
29 What crops do they plant?
1=rice, 2=groundnuts, 3=cassava, 4=vegetables, 5=others
(specify)
30 After harvest, what do you do with your crops?
1=sell un-milled, 2=milled and sell, 3=consumed at home,
4=consumed and sell some
31 How do you process your crops after harvest?
1=drying, winnowing and baggage, 2=drying, winnowing,
milling and baggage
32 Do you have access to any milling and threshing facilities for
you crops?
1= Yes, 2=No (if yes, go to Q33)
33 What is the present condition of the milling/threshing facilities
you have access to?
1=functional, 2=non-functional, 3=Needs rehabilitation,
4=others (specify)
34 Do other women farmers regularly use these facilities?
1=Yes, 2=No
34 How far is the nearest milling and threshing facilities from your
community?
1=1-2 miles, 2=2-3 miles, 3=3-5 miles
35 As a farmer, are you part of any cooperative?
1=yes, 2=No (if yes, go to Q36. If no, skip Q36)
36 How many members do you have in the cooperative?

38
 1=5, 2=10, 3=15,4=20
37 Does your household own land?
1=yes, 2=No (if no, go to Q38)
38 How do you cultivate your crops without owning land
1=leasing, 2=owned by the family, 3=owned by husband,
4=share farming
39 Apart from rice, ginger and groundnuts, what other crops do
you plant?
1=corn, 2=vegetables, 3=cassava, 4=others (specify)
40 Do you use fertilizers in your crop cultivation?
1=yes 2=no (if yes, go to Q41)
41 What forms of fertilizers do you use?
1=organic 2=inorganic (if inorganic, g to Q42)
42 Where do you access fertilizer from?
1=Government yearly supply 2=purchase from dealers
3=others (specify)
43 If purchased, how much does a bag of fertilizer costs?
1=50,000, 2=100,000, 3=150,000, 4=200,000
44 Which activities are done by men and/or women within your
household? (Mark these activities in the second and third
columns using 1 to indicate the intensity of men’s and women’s
participation in the activity. In the table below, 2 indicates it is a
task exclusive to either men or women. 3 indicate that mostly
men or women undertake that task. 4 indicate that both men
and women undertake the task)
Activity women Men
Preparing the land
Ploughing
Planting
Fertilizer application
Weeding
Harvesting
Grading
Transportation (from farm to road)
Managing family business
Fetching wood for fuel
Preparing the land
Section 3:Income generated from agricultural activities
45 What is your household major source of income?1=farming,
2=petty trading, 3=teaching 4=weaving, 4=others (specify)
46 What is your household estimated monthly income from all
sources?
1= 50,000; 2=100,000, 3=250,000 4=500,000 5=1,000,000
and above
47 What is your household estimated monthly income from
39
 farming alone?
1= 50,000; 2=100,000, 3=250,000 4=500,000 5=1,000,000
and above
48 Do you sell your farm produce at the local market?
1=Yes, 2=No (If yes, go the Q49)
49 Who sells agricultural products produced by women in your
household to the market?
1=husband, 2=wife, 3=others (specify)
50 Who sell agricultural products produced by other members
of your household?
1=husband, 2=children, 3=mates, 4=others (specify)
51 Who in your household keeps income generated from
agricultural produce cultivated by the women?
1=husband, 2=wife 3=others (specify)
52 Who in your household keeps the income generated by
other members of your household?
1=husband, 2=individually, 3=elderly members, 4=Head-
wife, 5=others (specify)
53 Who decides what to buy for the household and what to
spend money on?
1=husband, 2= wife/wives, 3=children, 4=other (specify)
54 What does your household spends on with money
generated from farm produced?
1=daily feeding, 2=paying school fees, 3=supporting family
members, 4=paying medical bills 5=all of the above
55 Do you have any other sources of income?
1=yes 2=no (if yes, go to Q56)
56 What are some of these other sources of income for the
household?
1=petty trading, 2=weaving, 3=fishing 4=tailoring 5=others
(specify)
Section 4:Marketing
57 What do you buy or pay for in order to cultivate a bushel of
rice
1=labour, 2=tools, 3=seeds, 4=food for work 5=others
(specify)
58 How much do these items cost to cultivate rice per bushel?
1= 50,000, 2=100,000, 3=150,000, 4=200,000 5=others
(specify)
59 What do you buy or pay for in order to cultivate a bushel of
groundnuts 1=labour, 2=tools, 3=seeds, 4=food for work
5=others (specify)
60 How much do these items cost to cultivate groundnuts per
bushel?(Skip the question if respondent only cultivate rice
and not groundnuts)
1= 50,000, 2=100,000, 3=150,000, 4=others (specify)

40
61 What do you buy or pay for in order to cultivate 1 kilo of
ginger 1=labour, 2=tools, 3=seeds, 4=food for work 5=others
(specify)
62 How much do these items cost to cultivate ginger per kilo?
(Skip the question if respondent only cultivate groundnuts
and rice and not ginger)
1= 50,000, 2=100,000, 3=150,000, 4=others (specify)
63 Do you add value to your products?
1=yes 2=no (if yes, go to Q64)
64 What value do you add to you products?
1=winnowing and bagging, 2=milling and bagging,
3=branding, 4=threshing and bagging, 5=others (specify)
65 How much is a bushel of un-milled rice at farm gate?
1=35,000, 2=40,000, 3=45,000, 4=50,000, 5=55,000 and
above
66 How much does a bushel of un-milled rice cost in the local
market
1=40,000, 2=45,000, 3=50,000, 4=55,000, 5=60,000
67 How much does it cost to buy a bushel of milled rice?
1=45,000, 2=55,000, 3=60,000, 4=65,000, 5=70,000
68 How much does is a bushel of un-milled groundnuts at farm
gate?
1=35,000, 2=40,000, 3=45,000, 4=50,000, 5=55,000 and
above
69 How much does a bushel of un-milled rice cost in the local
market
1=35,000, 2=40,000, 3=45,000,4=50,000, 5=55,000
70 How much does it cost to buy a bushel of milled
groundnuts? 1=45,000, 2=55,000, 3=60,000, 4=65,000,
5=70,000
71 How much does it cost to buy a kilo of unprocessed ginger
at farm gate?
1=35,000, 2=40,000, 3=45,000, 4=50,000, 5=55,000 and
above
72 How much does a kilo of unprocessed cost in the local
market
1=35,000, 2=40,000, 3=45,000, 4=50,000, 5=55,000 and
above
73 How much does it cost to buy a kilo of processed ginger?
1=45,000, 2=55,000, 3=60,000, 4=65,000, 5=others (specify)
74 Where do you normally get information on prices for your
products?
1=weekly markets, 2=Community Based
Organizations/Farm Based Organizations, 3=women
traders, 4=government, 5=others (specify)
75 Where do you sell your products?

41
 1=Makeni market, 2=weekly communal markets, 3=agro-
processors, 4=Farm Based Organizations 5=others (specify)
76 Do you sell product individually, as a household or
collectively in a cooperative?
1=individually, 2=as household, 3=collectively in a
cooperative 4=others (specify)
77 Do you have access to loan for your farming?
1=yes, 2=No (if yes, go to Q58)
78 Where do you normally access loan for farming? 1=Non-
Governmental Organizations/Community Based
Organizations, 2=Business Agents, 3=MFIs, 4= village
savings groups, 5=others (specify)
Section 5:Gender dynamics and leadership
79 Who is normally present when decisions are made in the
household?
1=men only, 2=men and women, 3=women only
80 Does your community have women leaders?
1=yes, 2=no
81 Who is directly in charge of household properties in your
household?
1=men, 2=women, 3=other (specify)
82 Are women permitted to own land for their use?
1=yes 2=no If no, go to Q84, if yes, got to Q83)
83 What quantity of land are you permitted to own for
farming?
1=1 acre, 2=2 acres, 3=3 or more, 4=others (specify)
84 Which decisions in the home do men and women typically
make?
1=Education 2=Health, 3=Finances, 4=Farming, 5=Marriage
85 When a women is molested or beaten in the home, does
she report
1=yes, 2=no (if yes, got to Q86)
86 Where do you normally report when you are abused in your
household?
1=the family, 2=the police, 3=village head, 4=NGO workers,
5=others (specify)
87 How do you normally feel as women when you are molested
in the household?
1=sad, 2=confused, 3=shame, 4=sleepless nights,
5=revengeful
88 When you experience violence and molestation in the home
how do you deal with that?
1=accept and stay silent, 2=report to authorities, 3=tell
elderly members of the family, 4=others (specify)
Section 6:External economic, political and social factors
89 How often does violence against women and

42
 men happen in your household or your
community?
1=daily, 2=weekly, 3=fortnightly, 4=monthly

90 Have you ever benefited from any form of

training in farming techniques?
1=yes, 2= No ( If yes, go to Q91)
91 Which forms of training have you done?
1=gender equity, 2=farming 3=agro-processing,
4=human rights, 5=all of the above
92 Who was conducting these trainings in your
community?
1=government 2=Non-Governmental
Organizations/Community Based
Organizations, 3=Religious groups, 4=others
(specify)

Annex 2: Focus Group Discussion Checklist for communities and stakeholders

43
 A. Current agricultural practices among women farmers
 Understand the key livelihoods of households
 Understand the methods of planting and the types of crops you mainly
planted by women farmers
 Estimates of what a farmer gets after harvest when a bushel of rice or
groundnuts is planted
 Estimated costs to plant a bushel of rice and what else do you pay for whilst
planting
 Estimated constraints and access to value chain addition facilities

B. Income earned by women farmers from agricultural activities and their control
over that income.
 Estimated sources of income for women in households
 Understand who controls income and who makes decision on what to spend
money on
 Understand whether other members of the household are also involved in
farming and the other types of livelihoods they are engaged in apart from
farming
 Estimated time spent by women in farming and the specific activities they do

C. Market prices for rice, groundnuts and ginger in processed and unprocessed
forms relative to prices for other crops.
 Estimated cost for rice and groundnuts per bushel (both milled and un-milled)
and ginger per bag
 Estimated average yields for each crop per annum
 Access to price information and marketing especially for ginger
 Average estimates of access to market for goods produced by women
farmers

D. Gender dynamics: women in leadership positions at community level, decision

making at household level, incidence of domestic violence, any differences in
these on the basis of polygamous/non-polygamous household.
 Estimated average households with polygamous and non-polygamous
with number of co-wives
 Understanding role played by women in community decision making
 Understand trends in women taking leadership roles
 Estimated occurrence of domestic violence within communities, channels
of reporting for women victims and trauma suffered by women in
households

E. Identification of external economic, political and social factors that are likely to
influence project outcomes
Identify possible economic, politic and social factors possibly influencing the
implementation of the project

ANNEX 3: The selected 15 villages randomly sampled

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No Name of selected village
1 Makaprrll
2 Mabuya
3 Kerefay—Themne
4 Royainkain
5 Makulon
6 Makorie
7 Makondeh
8 Magbankanie
9 Rosengbeh
10 Romano
11 Rosint
12 Porma
13 Rokuprr
14 Macongo
15 Mabayo

ANNEX 4: Selected villages for the Focus Group Discussions

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No Name of selected village
1 Makaprr ll
2 Mabuya
3 Kerefay—Themne
4 Royainkain
5 Makulon
6 Panlap

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