THE ROLE OF RURAL WOMEN IN HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN THE SOUTHERN NATION, NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES REGION OF ETHIOPIA: THE CASE OF AMARO WOREDA

Abstract

Food is one of the basic requirements that should be fulfilled by all human being. Every person has to get the right amount of food as to live a healthy and productive life. Individuals or household can secure food in many ways including producing on own farm, purchasing from market or receiving food aid. The objective of the study is to assess the role of rural women in the household food security and their contribution in agricultural activities. Towards achieving these objectives, primary data were collected from the randomly selected respondents from Amaro woreda of SNNPR, Ethiopia. The collected information was analyzed descriptively and key findings are discussed. According to the assessment, rural women play significant roles in ensuring household food security and agricultural activities. However; the roles of each rural woman in ensuring household food security and agricultural activities varies from household to ded household depending on the households‟ socio-economic status. The study put forward the recommendation that the society has to acknowledge the crucial roles played by rural women in household food security and other related activities; local development institutions has to provide extension service, other capacity building measures and facilitate across to micro credit. The diversified roles of rural women as food producers, home managers and income generators from both farm and off-farm activities has contributed to the household food security. Women in the surveyed area are not well aware of their right to land and other properties and are also very much deprived from benefitting from micro finance institutions, and extension services.