Gender Relations in the Utilisation of Digital Technologies in the Changing Food Production Systems in Northern Uganda
摘要
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has propelled the utilization of digital technologies across sectors including the food production system in Sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing from the 2002 Sarah Longwe Empowerment Framework, we examine gender relations in utilizing digital technologies in the changing food production systems in northern Uganda. We attempt to address three core research questions: (i) How have digital technologies impacted the changing food production systems? (ii) How have gender relations affected the changing food production systems? (iii) Amidst the food production chain, how have digital agricultural technologies affected the income of smallholder farmers in the Apac District in Northern Uganda? Data was collected from 129 smallholder farmers, using a survey questionnaire, key informant interviews, and focused groups. Due to mobile phones and radio technologies agricultural information, the study revealed a shift in male and female farmers’ food production from traditional food crops (cereals and tubers) to other crops such as sunflowers for the dual purpose of food and commercial value. There were also gender disparities and changes in land use size in food production, with more male farmers having more acreage than their female counterparts. We noted an increase in production and incomes with an average of 1250 kgs of which 625 kgs were sold for an increased median income of 360,000 shillings per season. However, women’s access to and use of land, and control over income and food production systems were skewed to the patriarchal marriage dynamics and family systems. We recommend State and non-State actors strengthen gendered digital agricultural information systems for food production to ensure household food security and economic empowerment.