An assessment on the role of women in agriculture in Southern Nation Nationality People’s Region: The case of Halaba Special Woreda, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the role of women in agriculture in Halaba Woreda. Based on the out put of this study, the contribution levels of women were identified. The study result showed that women’s contributes 46% of labor to agricultural activities. Men, boys and girls also participate in agricultural activities. However, women’s work in the agricultural activities documented as marginal and they have been considered more as consumers than as producers. More than 89% of the Halaba population is residing in the rural parts of the Woreda and half of the population is women. According to the study analyzed that rural women spend their time in productive activities, which directly benefit their families and society in economic terms. The study showed that the average day for a rural women in Halaba involves food processing, water and fuel wood collection, assisting family farm, marketing and labor exchange for community services. Also the level of participation as women’s labor is more participating in agricultural activities, community services and contributing more in securing their household members food demand than other household members do. But women receive no remuneration for their labor, no monetary or maternal gains and no benefits in leisure time and improved living conditions. Women suffer from discriminatory practices that prevent them from accessing land in the same way and extent as men. As such, men control land and women gain access to land mainly through either inheritance, their male relatives or in that of their husband. . In general the contributing factors that influences women’s role in agriculture depends upon the women’s dependence on their husband. The other one is illiteracy, ignorance, low socio-economic status and traditional religious and cultural dominance and low political participation in the community. Also, in the study area there were few supporting organizations to promote women in agricultural activities and empower them. However, those that do not have a specific gender focus, but undertake some single or combined gender –related activities which are generally mother and child care, nutrition, water, girls’ education, women savings and credit facilities. The study analyzed that those few NGOs and government organizations that have attempted to tackle gender issues have encountered serious problems of resource availability, limited technical capacity, poor organization and lack of coordination, which have made it impossible to streamline their gender concerns in a concrete way into effective programmed interventions.