Factors Affecting Rural Women’s Participation in Cash Crops Markets-Economic Development in Gode District, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Cash crops like fruits, onion, potato etc. are very much significant for earning little monetary benefits for farmers because of all time market demands for changing of food consumption pattern of people and also short fall in production thereby market supply mismatched.. This study examined the factors that affect rural women in participation in cash crop market for their economic development in Gode district, Somali Regional State. The specific objectives were to examine the perception of rural women’s participation in cash crop market to develop their economic condition in Gode district. A community based cross
sectional study were conducted this study. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed was used to select 309 sample respondents including 113 cash crop grower households and 196 non-growers and 127 participants in cash crop marketing, and 196 non-participants. Both primary and secondary data were used. Secondary data were collected from review of related literatures and documents. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions, interview schedule and observation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarize the characteristics of sample or data as well as to compare participant and non- participant of women household in cash crop production and
marketing with respect to explanatory variables. In addition, binary logit regression model was used to examine the determinant factors that influenced the participation of women in cash crop production and marketing. The results of binary logit regression model showed that, education, average annual income, frequency of extension contact, training participation, and access to market information were found to be significantly and positively affected the women participation in cash crop production and marketing while age, distance from the nearest market, access to roads, time spent on domestic activities, and limited irrigation were significantly and negatively influenced women participation in cash crop production and marketing. Therefore, the study findings
suggest that stakeholders and the District Agriculture and Natural Resources Office should prioritize enhancing women’s educational attainment, developing and expanding rural infrastructure to improve access to agricultural inputs, and enabling more effective engagement with extension services.