Presentation short abstract

This study explores how gendered power dynamics shape women’s access to a community maize sheller in Northern Ghana, showing how decisions around mechanisation are negotiated within local cultural norms, household relations, and social expectations.

Presentation long abstract

Mechanization plays a critical role in advancing sustainable intensification among smallholder farmers. However, access to mechanized implements remains uneven, particularly along gender lines. Recent efforts to enhance soil fertility and increase maize productivity through sustainable intensification led to a 13–30% rise in the harvesting workload for smallholder farmers, including the maize shelling process. This activity was traditionally carried out either by beating the maize with sticks or by using bare hands to shell it. To reduce the physical demands and time constraints involved, the Africa RISING project introduced small-scale mechanized shellers to smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana. Despite their benefit, access and usage remain limited amongst women smallholder farmers. This study adopts Feminist Political Ecology (FPE) to understand why limited access to mechanization amongst smallholder women farmers persists in harvesting maize. It provides insights on how gender norms, power relations, and socio-economic structures shape access to mechanized tools, reinforcing gender inequalities in agriculture. The research employs a qualitative methodology involving Key Informant Interviews (KII) and participatory interviews conducted during focus group discussions with smallholder farmers. The findings reveal critical disparities in actual engagement, shaped by structural and social barriers. Women’s limited access to mechanized shellers is not only a production or distribution challenge but also a reflection of deeper power imbalances in rural agricultural systems, as women often have access to these implements only through men, irrespective of their personal resources or the availability of the machinery.