Role of Women in Palm Oil Sector in Ghana

초록

This study focuses on the role of women in a palm oil sector to improve a local economy in Twifo-Hemang Lower Denkyira District in Ghana. The palm oil is mainly produced by small-scale farmers. Especially palm oil processing depends on women labour force in Ghana. This study first analyzes factors affecting palm oil production during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Second, this study evaluates difficulties faced by women in a palm oil marketing field. The survey in this study is conducted for women who work in a palm oil sector. During the wet season, production price, marital status, household head, education level have positive effects on the palm oil production. The highest education and other sources of income have negative effects on the palm oil production, however the education level is important for negotiating a price of palm oil. During the dry season, most of factors have ambiguous effects on the palm oil production. In addition, this paper evaluates women’s marketing challenges such as inadequate market, exploitation by middlemen, lack of storage facilities, fraud, market levy, lack of transport, lack of standard grading, lack of market information. The highly ranked marketing challenges are an inadequate market, exploitation by middlemen, and lack of storage facilities.

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