Determinants of Gender Differences on Soybean Production in Bambasi District, Benishangul Gumuz National Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was undertaken to examine the determinants of gender difference in soybean production among male and female headed soybean producer households at Bambasi District, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. Multi stage, sampling procedure was used to select sample respondents. In the district, ten kebeles were selected purposively according to the intensity of soybean production. Out of ten kebeles, five kebeles were selected by simple random sampling technique. Based on the list of the beneficiaries, households were selected using probabilities proportional to sample size procedure. A total of 136 households of soybean producer farmers (78 Male headed household (MHH) and 58 Female headed household (FHH)) were selected; and data was collected using semi structured questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion. Descriptive statistics, Ordinary Least Square Regression were used for the analysis of the data. The analysis of the data showed that 34.62% male headed and 67.24% female headed households were illiterate.  The average land owned by MHH and FHH was 2.28 ha and 1.83 ha respectively,  and the total of  58.97% MHH and 32.76% FHH had got credit service. As far as input utilization the majority of the respondents (56.41, 75.64% MHH and 72.41, 82.76% FHH) did not used fertilizer and pesticides, respectively. OLS estimation revealed that education of household head, household labour force, cultivated land size, tropical livestock unit, access to credit, frequency of extension contact, fertilizer application, hired labour, membership in social organization significantly affected the production of soybean in both men and female headed households; while pesticide application significantly affected MHH only.  The study revealed men headed households have got higher production of soybean by utilizing the accessible input than FHH. Hence, similarly FHH should be encouraged and supported to access inputs for improving soybean productivity, and to increase the level of food security in the area.

Keywords: Determinants, Gender difference, Soybean production

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/55-01

Publication date:May 31^st 2019