The Role of Gender and Kinship Structure in Household Decision-Making for Agriculture and Tree Planting in Malawi
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This study examines household decision-making on various agricultural activities—including
tree planting and management—among farming families in Malawi. A mixed-method
approach consisting of a household survey (containing 135 married respondents and 16
focus group discussions) was used to analyze the gender dimensions of decision-making and
the role of kinship structure. The study found that most decisions in relation to agricultural
activities are made either by the husband or by the husband and wife together. However,
decisions regarding tree planting and tree management are more often made by the
household head alone, and are considered mainly the domain of men. These results were
reinforced by the focus group discussions, which also revealed that women do play a role in
the implementation of these activities. In patrilineal households decisions were made more
often by the husband alone compared to matrilineal families where there was more joint
decision-making by husbands and wives together. Decision-making on tree planting by the
wife and joint decision-making on tree management resulted in higher densities of trees
planted on farms compared to situations where decisions were made by the husband alone.