Factors Affecting Rural Women’s Participation in Non-farm Activity in Western Ethiopia: Empirical Evidence in Horo Guduru Wollega zone

Abstract

When more women participate in the workforce, household incomes rise dramatically. The main objective of this study was to determine the factors affecting women's engagement in non-farm activities. The results of the study show that a number of factors, including age, family size, land size, ownership of household property, non-farm training, credit availability, membership in idir, women's involvement in local community affairs, and distance from the market location, affect women's involvement in non-agricultural activities. To analyse the data, the researcher used the binary logit model. The following factors determine women's involvement in non-agricultural activities: distance from the market, size of family, and land size have a negative influence, whereas the other factors have a positive influence. Socioeconomic factors, such as the low percentage of women in education and the antiquated perceptions of women held by society, have also been acknowledged as important problems. The study found that cooperation between the government, non-governmental organisations, and various religious leaders was necessary to lessen the socioeconomic burden on women. In order to pinpoint the problems that women encounter, university academics should work with the women's and children's affairs office in the study area.