Gender analysis of the hive product value chain in Benin

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume IX, Issue III, March 2022 | ISSN 2321–2705

 Gender analysis of the hive product value chain in Benin

 Vodounou G. Kéty^1,2, Attanasso Marie-Odile², Sossou K. Benoît², Akanro Raoul² and Dossou Justin^2
1Doctoral School of Agricultural and Water Sciences, National University of Agriculture of Kétou/ Benin
²Laboratory of Population Dynamics and Sustainable Development / Beninese Center for Scientific Research and Innovation

Abstract: – The purpose of this study is to identify the role of gender throughout the hive product value chain in Benin. The data is collected through a socio-economic survey. A total of 430 beekeepers, including 43 women, were surveyed using the snowball method. Macro, meso and micro level analyses of the said chain were carried out followed by a SWOT analysis. Data processing was done with Excel 2016, SPSS, and ARCGIS 10.1 software. The results of the study indicated that women beekeepers intervene more at the level of honey extraction with a participation rate of about half and a participation rate of less than 20% in the other links of the chain. While the men occupy more remunerative segments as the marketing, the production, the harvest of the honey as well as the manufacture of the wax. Three types of beekeeping groups were identified: men’s, women’s and mixed groups.

Keywords: Gender, value chain, beekeeping, honey, Benin

I. INTRODUCTION

Market access, through the commodity value chain, has become a major policy focus in developing countries, with the aim of addressing the recurring problems of food insecurity and poverty [34].

Since the pre-colonial period, men and women have practiced beekeeping activities in many societies in a kind of differentiated division of labor [18]. In general, the hive product value chain begins with flowers and ends with hive products [32]. In other words, a beehive produces various materials with multiple virtues. The best known is honey, and there are others, such as royal jelly, wax, propolis, pollen and bee venom. In the hive product value chain, the first phase is the supply stage. These inputs are usually provided by beekeeping training centers, artisans, collectors of jars and waste bottles, and foreign suppliers of stainless steel pots and other materials [34]. The phase of production concerns the actors of this activity which are the individual beekeepers, the groups of beekeepers, the collectors of honey and others [7]. During the harvest, honey is extracted from combs by flotation, pressing or centrifugation. This is usually followed by extraction, drying and sale of the products, but they may also be sold by the beekeeper without having been extracted [20].

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