Abstract:
Ethiopia is the second-largest wheat producer, next to South Africa in Sub Saharan Africa
(SSA). Bread wheat is the second most important food crop in Ethiopia after maize and
also widely grown in the Oromia region in general and Jardega Jarte district in particular
as food and cash crop. This study was designed to analyze gender roles in improved bread
wheat productivity in Jardega Jarte District, Oromia Region, Western Ethiopia. For this
study, the cross-sectional study design was employed in five randomly selected kebeles for
the survey. Primary data were collected from 184 households of improved bread wheat
producer farmers (143 MHH and 41FHH) through using a structured interview schedule,
focus group discussion and key informant interview. Both descriptive and econometric
data analysis technique were applied. Harvard analytical framework of gender activity
profile was used to assess gender roles, access to and control over resources in the
improved bread wheat productivity. The t-test result indicated that there was the mean
difference between MHH and FHH in terms of Age, education level, size of cultivated
land, improved seed, labor, frequency of extension contact, fertilizer use, annual income,
oxen owned and farm experience in improved bread wheat productivity. The chi square
test indicated that there was statistically significant relationship between MHH & FHH
being in membership in social organization and access to pesticide. The study findings rev
ealed that there were gender differences in access to and control resources. Women
engaged in unpaid reproductive roles and have more work burden; as a result, they faced
economic and financial constraints in the study area. Moreover, OLS regression showed t
hat the educational level, size of cultivated land, frequency of extension contact, amount of
fertilizer used, accessed to pesticide, and farm experience were significantly affected the
improved bread wheat productivity positively. Whereas distance from market was
influenced negatively. Hence, to reduce women’s unpaid burden and to create paid job
access to women’s government and development organizations necessary to introduce and
endorse labor saving technologies, supporting women’s development through increasing
women’s involvement in credit and savings, income generating activities and empower
them. Hence, improve access to agricultural inputs to improved bread wheat productivity
in general; enhance provision of inputs and services to FHH farmers’ in particular. In
order to improve gender differences in the study area awareness raising on gender
equality and equity in access and control over resources, including land, income from
improved bread wheat produced among household members should be improved
