Intrahousehold Bargaining and Distributional Outcomes Regarding NERICA Upland Rice Proceeds in Hoima District, Uganda

Abstract

In Uganda, the growing importance of rice as a major source of food and income was boosted by the introduction of high-yielding and stress-tolerant “New Rice for Africa” (NERICA) upland rice in 2002. My research, which was informed by interviews with smallholder farmers who have become part of the recent surge in NERICA production in Hoima district, demonstrates that NERICA offers an effective entry point into more commercially oriented modes of production for many women farmers. It also shows that the effects of this new income on a married woman’s well-being depend on her success in bargaining with her husband for the share of the proceeds. While sub-Saharan Africa does not stand out in the history of rice, the future trajectory of rice will, to a much greater extent, be an African one. A careful analysis of the way the proceeds from NERICA are shared within grower households can shed light both on the dynamics that surround its adoption, and on its impact on the well-being of individuals.

Key Words:

• NERICA
• gender
• smallholder farmers
• income effects
• intrahousehold bargaining
• resource allocation
• distributional outcomes
• Uganda