Abstract:
While agricultural cooperatives are noted to hold a unique potential to foster gender equality
in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, gender disparities have persisted agricultural
cooperatives in different value chains. This study thus analyses gender inclusivity in
agricultural cooperatives in Kiambu County, guided by Erikson's Social-Ecological Model and
Feminist Political Ecology. The study adopted a mixed-methods research design. The target
population for the study included a total of 18,963 members of dairy and coffee agricultural
cooperatives in Kiambu County. The study sampled 303 respondents using simple random
sampling procedure while purposive sampling was used to select Key informants. Data was
gathered using questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions and key informant interviews.
STATA software was used to analyze quantitative data while NVivo software was used to
analyze qualitative data. Findings reveal there is under representation of women in cooperative
management boards. Cultural norms were the main barrier to women's ascendancy into
leadership roles. The study concluded that gender-neutral opportunities for involvement exist
within agricultural cooperatives, showcasing a parallel trend across the sector. The study
recommends that agricultural cooperatives in Kiambu County adopt specific policies to
increase women’s representation in leadership roles by setting gender quotas and providing
leadership training for women members.
