PROCEEDINGS Sixth Annual Conference of Ethiopia Society of Animal Production

Abstract

The challenges to food security and environmental sustainability are so complex that solutions must involve all human resources including women. Evidence shows that food security and agricultural productivity, once considered gender neutral, affect men and women differently. Food security and economic reform work through people, new opportunities open up for those with access to land, credit, education and market outlet—more likely to be men—while the costs of change fall on those without access, often women. A number of studies indicate that female farmers are responsible for a large part of the domestically consumed produce in Africa and they play critical roles in natural resource management. Despite these facts women have little representation among professional decision makers whose policies, programs and practices so dramatically affect them. A study in Africa (FAO 1984) indicated that only 4% of the professional agricultural position in 46 Sub-Sahara African counties were held by women and only 7% of the extension service was devoted to helping women farmers in Sub-Sahara Africa. According to the British Council gender guideline (1991), a plant breeding project aimed to produce a faster growing and more pest resistant strain of the local bean in order to increase food security for a particular community. A team of expatriate and Indian plant breeders worked hard over a period of three years to develop a new variety. When the team offered the bean to the community they were surprised to find that the bean was not welcomed as warmly as they had expected—women were simply not using the new strain of bean. On further investigation, the team found that the new been required longer cooking time which required more fuelwood to cook. Hence, the project was extended and the team worked more closely with the women users of the new variety and the team succeeded in producing a series of new strains which fulfilled the women’s criteria and were taken up by the community. Wudenesh (1997) in her women and development study for southern nations and nationalities verified the fact that women in the study areas actually participated in crop and livestock production as they share 33-37% of the crop production. Similarly they perform 70% of the livestock production activities caring for animals around homestead, cutting grass, hay processing, getting water, in born cleaning, processing dairy products, poultry keeping and marketing of animal products were indicated as major activities of women. On the other hand, it was noted that women contributed 15-25% of the labor needed in afforestation and soil conservation programs. Similar studies undertaken by the above researcher in selected weredas of Tigray and Amhara regions has confirmed the fact that women actively participate in agricultural production. Their participation in crop production is mainly in seed cleaning, land preparation, weeding, harvesting, winnowing, manuring, transport and storage of harvest crop, watering, hoeing, threshing ground preparation and food preparation for people working in the field. In animal production women play major roles by feeding and caring for animals and in the processing of animal products and in poultry keeping. On the other hand they actively participate in afforestation and soil conservation programs. Women’s role in life stalk production was significant in the studied weredas of both Amhara and Tigray regions. The study indicated that they spend major time caring for animals, fetching water, barn cleaning dairy processing, poultry keeping, trekking animals to water points and to vaccination centers. Findings of a similar study undertaken in Afar Region by ECA (1997) also indicated that all members of the household (men, women and youth) play important roles in animal husbandry. Camels are mainly looked by men; cattle sheep and goats are herded by women, men and youth. Milking camel is exclusively done by men while milking cattle is done by women and men. Milk processing and marketing is done by women while selling and buying livestock is exclusively men’s responsibility. In a women’s workload study of two regions in Ethiopia, Barbara and Zewdie (1990) stated that women in the study area work for over fifteen hours daily performing activities mainly to feed and care for their families. The study indicated that women make an important contribution to food production through the long hours women spend on the farm in caring for household animals, selling farm product and in processing food at home.