Income Generating Activities of Women on Home Garden Farming in Damot Gale District (Woreda) of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Abstract

A sample of 200 households and their home gardens were inspected to study the role of women in income generating activities of home garden farming in 10 kebeles of Damot Gale woreda in 2014/2015. 20 households were selected from each kebele. The total selected households were 200, of which 100 (50%) households were male headed, and identified by simple random sampling method and the rest 100 (50%) were female headed households. Data was collected from total 200 households through interview, field observation, conducting discussion with informants, and asking questions. Data from 100 male headed households and from 100 female headed households were collected and used to compare the role of female in income generating activities of home garden farming. Women from female headed households have full right to decide the use of resource, land and they have right to make decision on the use of land and its products. But women from male headed household’s donot access land in their own right and at they not only lose their right of access to land, but are also forced to leave their marital homes and return to their places of birth. Culturally, the women are expected to indoor activities and use right of the products but have no decision making power. In general 76 crop species were listed with distinct feature of polycultural agro-system with a universal occurrence of enset (Ensete ventricosum) and coffee (Coffea robusta). 40 plant species of better price were identified. All plant species of better price were cultivated, cared, controlled and managed by men. Condiments/fragrances were cultivated, cared, controlled and managed by women in both household types and all crop species in female headed households were managed by female. Only 7 (0.03%) women from male headed households responded as they have right to make decision on the product of home gardens. In other round from 100 female headed households’ 13 (0.13%) women’s home gardens were cared, managed and controlled by their children or relatives. This is due to different factors such as an age case, physical problems, religious influences, financial shortage or social pressure upon the resource owner that inhibit the owner/women from the direct involvement of income generating activities on their home gardens. They could involve directly in income generating activities of home garden. In average, annual return of home garden ranges from birr 800 to 1500 in monetary value besides to home consumption.

Keywords: Damot Gale, Home Garden, Household, Income Generation, Women Activities.