Determinants of Rural Women Economic Empowerment in Agricultural Activities: Evidence from Nunu Kumba District of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating the determinants of rural women economic empowerment in agricultural activities of Nunu Kumba district of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The study can be useful to reduce women discrimination, ministry of child and women’s affairs in its effort to formulate and implement gender policies. A multistage sampling procedure was used to take sample of 342 women household respondents using random sampling technique from selected rural Kebeles. For the study both primary and secondary sources of data were conducted. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The collected data was analyzed using both descriptive and logistic regression model. Descriptive analysis was conducted to discuss the behavior of rural women economic empowerment in agricultural activities and performed using frequencies, percentage, means, standard deviation, maximum and minimum values. The logistic regression result reveals that out of thirteen explanatory variables eleven variables age, size of family, educational status, farm income, off-farm income, access to credit, access to and control of economic resources, access to information, rural women participation in community affairs, lack of gender awareness and domestic violence were statistically significant. The findings of the study recommended that the policy makers effectively implement the rights of the significant number of marginalized rural women for full participation in all levels of human activity. This will play a paramount role in eradicating poverty and hastening economic growth of Ethiopia.