Trends In Women Participation in Coffee Cooperatives in Kiambu County

Abstract

Trends in women participation in agricultural cooperatives reveal the progress of interventions and persistent challenges in coffee cooperatives. Women participation rates in coffee cooperatives in Kenya has remained significantly low, hence it is necessary to analyze the trends so as to determine necessary intervention to keep the trends positive in coffee cooperatives. The study was guided by Gender and Development (GAD) theory and a descriptive research design whereby a sample of 398 respondents was selected through simple random for questionnaire respondents and purposive sampling for interviewees. Data collection involved questionnaires for cooperative members and in-depth interviews with managers, chairpersons and key informant interviews for cooperative officers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed notable upward trends in women’s participation in membership, involvement in educational forums, improvements in leadership roles and decision-making processes. However, significant gaps remain, particularly in women’s access to leadership opportunities and information. The study recommended sustained efforts to enhance women’s access to leadership positions, training and information-sharing mechanisms to support continued growth in gender equality.