The discipline of context: commercializing a “women’s crop” in Southern Malawi

Abstract

Commercialization may disempower women if men take control of “women’s crops”. We tested this hypothesis for pigeonpea with a sample of 175 married households in Phalombe district, Southern Malawi. Commercialization did not change women’s control over decision-making for pigeonpea. An experimental game was used to identify preferences for the intra-household distribution of income at two different levels of income from pigeonpea. At both low and high levels of income women and men both preferred to pool income rather than have separate shares. The allocation of income between investment and consumption did not differ between women and men, nor when wives played independently or together with their husbands. Women were only willing to accept a higher income from pigeonpea if this increase was shared equally with their husbands. We conclude that the commercialization of pigeonpea will not disempower women. A matrilineal system of inheritance and matrilocal marriage strengthen the bargaining power of women in Southern Malawi. Context determines who wins from commercialization.