Labor input of women tobacco farmers in Tabora, Tanzania

Abstract

This study attempts to quantify the amount of labor women tobacco farmers spend in tobacco, maize and a third crop. Women labor input is measured in man-days and are compared with those of adult males and children's labor input. A sample of 408 women tobacco farmers from the Tabora region of Tanzania were selected and interviewed. The result shows that 251 man-days per year is spent on farming activites; 42 percent of this is undertaken by women farmers. 78% of time devoted to farming is earmarked for tobacco farming. Out of the 198 days devoted to tobacco farming, 43% is undertaken by women. The contribution to labor input by children is only 5%. When classified by type of agricultural activities men spend more time in land clearing and planting, while women spend more time in weeding and harvesting. When classified by age, older women spend more time than younger women. Using a multiple linear regression, the determinants of the magnitude of women labor input were identified. The results indicate that women who spend more time in tobacco farming as being poor. They are relatively old, they get less or no remittance, they reside far from major towns, they do not have much wealth and have little access to alternative employment. The amount of time women spend in tobacco farming appears to be very high, and this is likely to lead to tobacoo related health hazards.