Determinants of Women heads non-farm participation in Western Ethiopia; Empirical Evidence in Horo Guduru Wollega zone

Abstract

Abstract Women have an important role in business participation that has a great impact on improving households’ livelihoods. The main objective of this study was to describe factors determining women's non-farm participation in non-farm activities. In order to identify the determining factor of women’s participation in non -agricultural activities, an English questionnaire was translated into Afan Oromo in a way that respondents and data collectors could understand. For analyzing the data, the researcher used the binary logit model, and the result of the study shows that the determinants of women's participation in non-agricultural activities were age, family size, household property ownership, land size, non-farm training, lack of access to credit, membership in Idir, women's participation in local community affairs, and distance from the market location. Among these determinant variables, land size, family size, and distance from market location negatively influence women's participation, while the rest positively influence women's participation in non-agricultural activities. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors such as society's backward attitude toward women and women's low participation in education have been identified as major issues. Accordingly, the study recommended that the government, NGOs, and various religious leaders work together to minimize the socio-economic impact on women, and the women's and children's affairs office in the study area should work with the university researchers to identify the problems faced by women.