Assesment Of Participation Of Women In Agricultural Activities: The Case Of Ale Woreda, Ilubabor Zone, Oromia Regionalstate

Abstract

The study was conducted with the aim of analyzing and describing the role of women in agriculture in Ale Woreda,Ilubabor zone,Oromia regional state, in order to assess the participation of women in agriculture. The study was based on a mixed research design, which integrated both quantitative and qualitative research methods. As the research tries to describe the situation, descriptive method was used for this study. From the total 3191 households 355 households were selected as sample households by Yemane 1967 sampling formula. In addition to the questionnaires, focus group discussion, key informant interviews and field observation were used as instruments of data collection, based on the output of this study, the contribution levels of women were identified. The study result showed that women contribute 34% of labor to agricultural activities and 43% in marketing agricultural resources. 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 85% of the Ale woreda population is residing in the rural parts of the Woreda and half of the population is women. The study showed that the average day for rural women in Ale woreda 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. 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. 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 influence. Also, in the study area there were few supporting governmental organizations to promote women in agricultural activities and empower them. These are mother and child care, girls’ education and fertilizer credit. In general the finding of the study indicated that women are the major working forces of house hold and agricultural activity is difficult without participation of women in the study community. There for women’s right must be respected by avoiding the social bias and cultural influence in economic empowerment.