GEOs and Gender: GEOs and What They Mean for Women Farmers in Kenya

Abstract

Kenya is on the brink of becoming the fourth African nation to commercialize genetically engineered organisms (GEOs). The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) program is expected to publicly release a variety of drought tolerant Bt maize seed as early as 2017. WEMA is marketing this technology as a means of improving food security among small-scale farmers in Kenya’s arid zones. To date, little research has been conducted investigating the potential impacts of this technology for small-scale farmers, particularly women. This thesis uses Feminist Political Ecology as a theoretical construct in predicting the gendered implications of the commercialization of WEMA’s GE maize seed in the Machakos and Kitui districts of Kenya. It argues that socio-political factors that limit women’s access to key ecological resources are likely to restrict the benefits of GE technology.