The Role of Women in Agro-Pastoral Household Food Security: The Case of Erer Woreda, Shinile Zone, Somali National Regional States

Abdi, Reshid (2004) The Role of Women in Agro-Pastoral Household Food Security: The Case of Erer Woreda, Shinile Zone, Somali National Regional States. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

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Abstract

Women play significant roles in the household food security in most developing countries. However, they are constrained by many socio-economic and institutional factors. In the light of this, this study assessed the role of women in the agro-pastoral household food security compared to what men do in Erer woreda. It also assessed the factors that are related and those that constrained women’s role in household food security. To realize these objectives the study used both qualitative and quantitative methods in four rural representative villages of this food economic zone. The study found out the income generated from non-domestic activities and hence the purchasing power of households to be crucial in household food security in the woreda. In this respect, the data verified women in the woreda to play significant roles in the household food security. Women engage into various food processing activities in the households. Furthermore, women participate in the different crop and livestock production activities. Particularly, women dominate in the livestock production management. Similarly, women out weigh in both crop and livestock products marketing than men. More importantly, women contribute more income than men to the households. In consequence, women spend their individual incomes primarily on the households food needs and on children’s health while men spend half of their income on personal needs. However, there are several factors that limit women’s roles in the household food security in the woreda. Primarily, women have little control over critical household productive resources. Furthermore, they have poor access to institutional support such as training, technology and credit facilities. Similarly, they have poor decision-making power in the household mainly over income. On the other hand, the negative perceptions of the larger community about women’s roles are caused by socio-economic and cultural factors. Over and above, in promoting their roles in the household food security women are constrained by several socio-economic factors. These are mainly lack of capital, absence of transport, market, and workload and water shortage among others. In a nutshell, the women in the woreda are the basis to the household food security. Therefore, in order to improve the household food security and up-grade women’s roles in this regard the prevailing problems in the woreda need concerted efforts to be considered in gender approach from all concerned bodies.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Uncontrolled Keywords: food security, the role of women, income, and expenditure patterns Access and control, productive resources decision-making, community perception
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races
S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Tim Khabala
Date Deposited: 24 Aug 2018 13:22
Last Modified: 24 Aug 2018 13:22
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/8499

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