Abstract Female plot managers in Sub-Saharan Africa often realize significantly lower crop yields than their male counterparts. Even for legumes, which are often referred to as ‘women’s crops’, yields are significantly lower. This study investigated the underlying causes of this gender yield gap in groundnut production. The analysis is based on survey data from 228 farm households from two groundnut growing regions in Uganda. We used the Blinder-Oaxaca model to decompose factors that contribute to this yield gap. Results show 63% and 44% gender yield gaps for improved and local varieties, respectively, with female plot managers realizing less than their male counterparts. Improved groundnut seeds increase female plot manager’s yields but not the yields of male plot managers. Male advantage and female disadvantage combined account for more than 70% of the yield gap in both improved and local groundnut variety production and exceed pure productivity differences. Labor use differences between female and male plot managers and variety types explain the observed yield gap. Interventions and policies that increase women’s access to productive inputs including improved seed will significantly contribute to closing the yield gap, and thereby increase crop production, food security, as well as women’s incomes.

中文翻译：

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弥合差距：分解乌干达花生生产中性别产量差距的来源

摘要 撒哈拉以南非洲的女性地块管理者常常意识到作物产量比男性同行低得多。即使是通常被称为“女性作物”的豆类，产量也明显较低。这项研究调查了花生生产中这种性别产量差距的根本原因。该分析基于来自乌干达两个花生种植区的 228 个农户的调查数据。我们使用 Blinder-Oaxaca 模型来分解导致这种产量差距的因素。结果显示，改良品种和本地品种的性别产量差距分别为 63% 和 44%，女性地块管理者的实现率低于男性。改良的花生种子增加了女性地块管理者的产量，但不会增加男性地块管理者的产量。男性优势和女性劣势合计占改良和本地花生品种产量差距的 70% 以上，超过了纯粹的生产力差异。女性和男性地块管理者和品种类型之间的劳动力使用差异解释了观察到的产量差距。增加妇女获得包括改良种子在内的生产性投入的干预措施和政策将大大有助于缩小产量差距，从而增加作物产量、粮食安全以及妇女的收入。