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Gendered Labor Allocation in Smallholder Vegetable Production and Marketing: Evidence from Farming Households in Cebu, Philippines

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/ecag2026oa22584
Submitted
aprile 16, 2026
Published
2026-09-07

Abstract

This study examined sex-based differences in respondent-reported participation in smallholder vegetable production and marketing in Cebu, Philippines. Data were collected from 745 farmers in three upland vegetable-growing communities through structured household interviews. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square tests, Cramér’s V, Phi coefficients, adjusted residuals, and Welch’s t-test were used to assess breadwinner identification, educational attainment, farming experience, and participation in ten production and marketing activities.
Breadwinner identification and educational attainment differed significantly by respondent sex, while farming experience did not. Male respondents reported higher participation in all activities, with the largest differences in pesticide spraying, harvesting, transport to market, and product selling. All chi-square findings remained significant after Bonferroni correction. Because one respondent was interviewed per household, the results represent between-group differences rather than paired spousal labor allocation. The findings provide task-specific evidence for extension interventions on pesticide safety, market access, and women’s access to technical and market-related knowledge.

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