ThesisGender relations are essential in determining interactions between men and women in rice Quality Declared Seed (QDS) production. The importance of QDS for increased agricultural productivity cannot be over emphasized. The study’s overall objective was to assess gender relation and rice QDS in Kilombero District, Morogoro, Tanzania. Overall objective was to determine linkages between gender relations and rice QDS in Kilombero District. Specifically, the study assessed gendered access and control over rice QDS resources among rice producers, examine attitude of men and women towards rice QDS, evaluate gender roles of men and women in rice QDS, and analyse factors influencing decision-making power in rice QDS in Kilombero, Morogoro, Tanzania. The study site was Kilombero because it is one of the districts on which Tanzania mainly depends for supply of rice. A cross sectional research design was used during data collection. Quantitative data were collected through administering a questionnaire to 218 respondents engaged in rice production. Similarly, qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews to complement and allow triangulation of the data. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) while qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. In assessing gendered access and control over rice QDS resources among rice producers, it was found that access to rice QDS resources was very low among farmers in the area, even though women (45%) were found to have more access to some resources such as credit than men (13%) did. On the other hand, men were found to have more access to inputs (22%) and training on agriculture (29%) than women. Women in the study area had access to land too but lacked control over it. Cultural barriers strongly affected and influenced control of resources including land to women. It is concluded that women get fewer benefits in rice QDS due to poor access to and control of productive resources. There is a need to remove all cultural barriers by creating awareness for both men and women using gender sensitive programmes in collaboration with relevant government policy. In evaluating attitude of farmers towards rice QDS, it was found that the majority of farmers had positive perception on the effectiveness of rice QDS. Therefore, it is concluded that there is a viable opportunity to enhance farmers’ produce by using rice QDS in the study area through appropriate information dissemination and provision of support and training needed by the farmers to maximize their produce and use of rice QDS. To achieve increased production in rice QDS, the government and other non- governmental actors should create mechanisms to improve access to rice QDS. The mentioned actors should, among other things, offer credit to the producer to increase rice QDS. In assessing gender role of men and women towards rice QDS, it was found that women engaged in many roles in rice QDS production rather men. Men were predominantly engaged in land preparation, fertilizer application, pest management, packing, labelling, grading and storage while other farming activities were carried out by women. Therefore, it can be concluded that unequal gender roles exist between men and women in the study area. It is recommended that gender sensitivity and awareness programme should be insisted at the family level to ensure that gender roles in rice QDS become fair. In evaluating factors influencing decision-making power in rice QDS, the results showed that decision making power among women in the community was very low. In one way or another, this made decline in rice QDS. The study therefore concludes that there is an opportunity to more farmers to produce and use rice QDS in the study area through proper information dissemination and provision of support and training needed by the farmers to change women and men’s perception towards decision making power in the family level so as to participate of rice QDS. It is recommended that development practitioners should sensitize community on women's awareness of their rights in decision making and minimize conservative gender-biased understanding of religion and ignorance of socio-cultural principles regarding women. This will increase rice QDS. Areas for further research based on the study findings, some further investigations are hereby proposed as a consequence of the study’s coverage. Based on the study findings, some further investigations are hereby proposed as a consequence of the study’s coverage. Effect of land tenure system and QDS production.