Gender Inequality Impact on Income, Productivity and Technical Efficiency: Evidence from Koussin-Lélé Rice Scheme in Benin

Abstract

This paper examines the occurrence and impact of gender discrimination in access to production resources on income, productivity, and technical efficiency among farmers. This is done through an empirical investigation of farmers from Koussin-Lélé, a semi-collective irrigated rice scheme, in the central Benin. We find that female rice farmers are particularly discriminated against with regards to scheme membership, access to land and equipment, which has significant negative impacts on their productivity and income.

Intra-gender inequalities in access to land between leaders and ordinary members of the scheme, particularly, in the male group are also observed. Although women have low productivity than men they are as technically efficient as men. The findings suggest that there is a large scope for improving the productivity of women through increased access to production resources.

Keywords: Gender inequality, productivity, technical efficiency, irrigated rice, Benin

JEL Classification: economic welfare