Profiles of men and women smallholder farmers in the Lilongwe rural development project, Malawi

The report first briefly describes the Women in Agricultural Development Project (1981-83) and its relation to Malawi"s National Rural Development Program. A second chapter discusses the National Sample Survey of Agriculture conducted in 1980-81, describing the survey instruments, sample, and data collection and analysis methods and presenting all data disaggregated by sex of household head. The third chapter describes the design and methods of the Lilongwe Rural Development Project survey - a large, multifaceted, 15-instrument survey conducted in 1982 by the Women in Agricultural Development Project on a subsample from the National Sample Survey of Agriculture. Data from the Lilongwe survey are disaggregated by sex of the total sample. Intrahousehold differences in production, labor with improved methods, and extension services are discussed. The fourth chapter compares the data from the two surveys, evaluates the concept of female household heads, and profiles female and male small farmers in Lilongwe. The report concludes with recommendations for improving aid to smallholders (particularly those who are women) and for utilizing the data collection and analysis methods related herein to enhance future integrated development projects. Two maps, one hundred tables, and a figure are included in the text. Appended is a 53-item bibliography (1968-83).