Gender Equality Policies and Female Agricultural Productivity in Tanzanian Villages: A Mixed Methods Study

Gender equality policies in Tanzania have been implemented to address disparities in agricultural productivity between genders. However, their effectiveness remains under-researched. The study utilised a combination of household surveys (n=300) for quantifying productivity metrics and focus group discussions with farmers (n=25) to gather qualitative insights into policy perceptions and implementation challenges. Data was analysed using statistical software and thematic analysis respectively. Analysis revealed that women in villages implementing gender equality policies saw a statistically significant increase of 10% in maize yields compared to those without such policies, despite similar levels of input use. Gender equality policies have shown promise in enhancing female agricultural productivity in Tanzanian village settings. However, challenges related to policy enforcement and farmer acceptance persist. Future research should focus on sustained implementation strategies and long-term impact assessments while addressing the specific needs of farmers within different cultural contexts. gender equality policies, female productivity, Tanzanian villages, mixed methods study