Abstract:
Woodlot farming is an important economic activity which has potential to improve the
livelihoods of men and women; however, the benefit derived from woodlot farming has a
gender differential. The study was conducted in Mufindi District in Tanzania to analyze the
livelihood outcomes among women and men engaged in woodlot farming. The study adopted
a cross-sectional research design and involved 120 respondents. Asset ownership was used as
proxy indicator of wealth status; the wealth index was constructed to gauge the levels of
livelihood outcomes. Independent T-test and Chi-square tests were used to compare livelihood
outcomes among woodlot farmers and non-farmers, men and women. It was found that
woodlots owners had better livelihood outcome than their non-woodlot farmers’ counterparts
(P< 0.05). The levels of livelihood outcomes between women and men were statistically
significant (P< 0.05). The differences in the levels of livelihood outcome are attributable to
one’s engagement in woodlot farming. However, men derived more benefit in the woodlot
farming due to their dominance in decision making over the income accrued from woodlot
farming at household level. The study recommends the local government authority and nongovernmental organizations involved in promoting livelihood improvement through woodlot
farming to address gender differences in decision making over the use of income at household
level. This can be done by promoting gender dialogues in the community with a view to change
gender norms that discriminate women participation in decision making as well as promoting women ownership of resources by allowing more women access and control over productive
resources including land.
