The Role of Backyard Farming for the Socio Economic Empowerment Of Women A Case Study in Five Woredas’ of East and West Gojjam Zones

Abstract

A research on the role of backyard crop livestock production is conducted in five weredas of East and West Gojjam Zones of Amhara region, Ethiopia, to assess the contribution of backyard production to women’s empowerment in the study region and haw women farmers perceive their contribution in the production system A key premise of this article is that female farmers productive activity linked with their household responsibility and women have better control on crops cultivated at the backyard and cattle kept at home. The paper identifies and examines the roles of female and male farmers in the crop production and household responsibilities. Examines access and control and factors and trends that affect women’s triple role through analysis of primary data collected with the help of questionnaires, participatory rural appraisal tools like focus group discussions, observations, informal interview, participatory mapping in combination with gender analysis and case studies of input voucher system. The results of the analysis indicated that women play significant role in backyard crop/livestock production. Unlike their role in crop farming, women’s role in backyard farming gets recognition. They influence decision in selection of crops and livestock kept at home; provide the labor and in most cases use the harvest as they need. Backyard cultivation play important role in household food security it also serve as the only source of income to large majority of women in the study area. Its contribution transcend economic arena and enters to social and cultural sectors too. The practice increases women’s decision making and influence in the family as well as in the community. However, the benefit of the sector to poor women is dependent on availability and quality of institutional support in the study area. Access to technologies ;input and credit found to play important role on the scope backyard crop and livestock production benefits females. Land, water, lack of household labor are identified as constraint to women’s production from backyard Prevailing cultural attitude, which promote men dominance, and poor acknowledgement given to women’s ability to household food production hamper women’s productive effort. Lack of gender sensitive interventions may end up creating additional burden to. Therefore, efforts to empower women should consider the social and cultural role of women. To facilitate greater understanding of women’s participation in agriculture activities, It is important to include women idea, belief, and needs in development programs, in order to insure equal benefit of women. Due attention should be given to gendered relationship prevailed in the family and in the community