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Vol. 23 No. 1 (2023)
Inquietud Empresarial 23(1) January-June 2023

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Women's Empowerment: Evidence from the Corn-Tortilla Value Chain in the Central Valley’s Region and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico.

https://doi.org/10.19053/01211048.15507

Published 2023-06-26

  • Marbella Sánchez-Soriano
    • ,
  • Arcelia Toledo-López
    • ,
  • Jorge Antonio Acevedo-Martínez
    • ,
  • Blasa Celerina Cruz-Cabrera

Marbella Sánchez-Soriano
División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación; Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca; Avenida Ing. Víctor Bravo Ahuja No. 125 Esquina calzada tecnológico, c.p. 68030, Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, México.

Arcelia Toledo-López
Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional Unidad Oaxaca; Hornos No. 1003, col. Noche buena, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, c.p.71230, Oaxaca. México

Jorge Antonio Acevedo-Martínez
División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación; Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca; Avenida Ing. Víctor Bravo Ahuja No. 125 Esquina calzada tecnológico, c.p. 68030, Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, México.

Blasa Celerina Cruz-Cabrera
División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación; Tecnológico Nacional de México, Instituto Tecnológico de Oaxaca; Avenida ing. Víctor Bravo Ahuja no. 125 Esquina calzada tecnológico, c.p. 68030, Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca, México.

Abstract

This article explores the level of Women’s Empowerment (W’E) from six empowerment domains: decision-making, autonomy, access and control of resources, community participation, and participation in business management, within the context of the corn-tortilla value chain. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data through the survey method and participant observation. The sample consisted of 136 women producers from two municipalities, 67 from Santa María Xadani in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and 69 from San Antonio de la Cal in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. The results highlight that women exercise five of the six explored domains of empowerment, two with high levels and three with medium levels of empowerment. The women’s income from selling their corn tortillas is used to buy food, raw materials, and health services. Much of their time is spent on corn tortilla production and marketing, and household activities. Finally, this study makes implications for public policy to contribute with the generation of strategies that raise the levels of W’E in agrifood systems in rural contexts.

 JEL Codes: I31, J16, P42, Q01, R11

Received: 13/01/2023.  Accepted: 24/05/2023.  Published: 26/06/2023. 

Keywords

women's empowerment, entrepreneurship, sustainable development, gender, corn-tortilla value chain

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Author Biography

Marbella Sánchez-Soriano

 

 

Arcelia Toledo-López

 

 

Jorge Antonio Acevedo-Martínez

 

 

Blasa Celerina Cruz-Cabrera

 

 

 

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