GENDER IMBALANCE IN THE COCOA SECTOR IN KAILAHUN DISTRICT

The cocoa sector in Kailahun District is an integral part of the local and national economy of Sierra Leone. It provides livelihood for many households. However, gender imbalance persistently limits the full participation of women in cocoa farming and its related activities. This study examines the socio-economic and cultural factors that contribute to gender imbalance in the sector. The research employs a mixed-methods approach using questionnaire, interviews, observation and secondary data. Findings indicate that women envisage male dominance, fettered access to financial resources, land tenure insecurity, low remuneration for similar work done on cocoa farms for which men are better paid and underrepresentation in decision-making processes in the cocoa sector. The study concludes with recommendations to promote gender equity including policy interventions, capacity-building programmes, financial inclusion strategies, recruitment of female extension workers to motivate women to participate more actively in cocoa farming and the adoption of technologies that reduce women’s domestic burden so that they have more time in cocoa farming and its related activities.