THE ROLE OF RURAL WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITES: THE CASE OF WEGERA DISTRICT, AMHARA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Rural women have crucial contribution to ensure the food security of the household in Ethiopia. However, they faced with many factors and not acknowledged as the expected level. The inclusive objective of this study is to analysis the role of rural women’s participation in agriculture production and income generating activities in case of Wegera district. In order to achieve the objective of the study, both quantitative and qualitative data types were collected from primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected from sample respondents, key informants and focus group discussants through interview and discussion. The secondary data were collected from other sources such as books, journal articles, statistical reports and office documents. The study employed both probability and non-probability sampling techniques. A three-stage sampling technique was applied to select 120 sample respondents. Descriptive statistics, pairwise ranking and binary logit econometric model were employed to analyze the data. The results revealed that rural women have a substantial contribution in ensuring food security of smallholder farmer’s by involving in different agricultural activities in the study area. The binary logit result also revealed that age, household size, frequency of extension contact, training, credit access and cooperative membership are the significant variables which influence the participation of rural women in income generating activities in the study area. The pairwise ranking analysis show that social conflict ,weak institutional services and inadequate infrastructure were the 1 st, 2 nd , 3 rd, major challenges respectively which hindered women’s participation in income-generating activities. Based on the findings, the study suggests that the government, credit institution, extension agent, local administrators, NGO, researchers, training centers, and other stakeholders should focus on rural women by initiating them to engage in income generating activities and minimizing their obstacles in the study area.