Phase II Findings - EthiopiaBerhanu Adenew, Zewdi Abadi Alemu & Rahel Bekele presenting on their behalf

15th June 2011

I

Jimma zone

W. Gojam zone

Smallholder Agriculture in Ethiopia

•85% of population live in rural areas: nearly all are smallholders•Agriculture is low-input, low-value, subsistence production •Government wants to commercialize agriculture•Cooperatives seen as the means to transform smallholder agriculture•Nearly every kebele has a multi-purpose cooperative•Commodity specific cooperatives provide inputs, buy outputs•In addition, have many informal and traditional forms of CA: iqub (savings), idir (burial), dadoo (labour sharing)

Women and agriculture

Ethiopia

•Land ownership rests with household head

•Only household head is member of cooperative

•Agricultural extension service focused on men

•Women play important role in all agricultural activities up until marketing.

•Women are not considered to be ‘farmers’

•High incidence of female headed households – 21% nationally

•Women in male headed households marginalized

•Illiteracy among rural women much higher than among men.

Women and agricultureJimma zone, Oromyia

•Muslim region, polygamous marriages

•In Limmu Kossa district, women were allocated coffee land

Amhara

•Mainly orthodox Christian region: high prevalence of early marriage

Overall Research Findings

Across both Jimma and West Gojam Zone

2 main types of CA:

1.Formal cooperatives (multi-purpose and commodity specific)

2.Savings (formal and informal, includes SHG)

•Commodity coops are widespread & important in coffee, honey & milk.

•But women constitute only 10-20% of cooperatives’ members (FHH)

•Women concentrate at the production end of the value chain, few are involved in marketing

•Most women are members of informal and formal CA, such as dadoo, iqub, SHGs and Savings & Credit. Get material and non-material benefits here.

•Role of external agents is very significant – both in cooperatives and in SHGs, Savings & Credit Associations.

Coffee

Gendered value chain map of coffee sector, Limmu district

Honey Gendered Value Chain Map

Honey: constraints to acting in markets

Constraints to acting in markets Individual woman

Mixed group Women-only group

Get a low price X

Gender issues and inequality Women lack decision making power within the HH and outside. Access to information/ training etc.

X X

Lack of information on prices and markets X

Low bargaining power (of farmers) X

Family responsibilities of women (lack of free time)

X X X

Restrictions placed by husband X X X

Pesticide sprayed during the day affects bees

X X X

Modern beehive management is challenging for farmers used to traditional beehives

X X X

Milk: benefits to women of CA

Community Inputs Training Stable market

Higher incomes

Social support

Saving & Credit

Reduced cost & time

Increase Asset of the CA

Total

Sebatatmit 9 10 30 56 35 140

Andassa 23 30 27 23 27 130

Tis-Abay 32 63 23 40 2 160

Maize: seed growers’ cooperative

Key findings

Jimma zone

•Dadoo emerging as a source of income for women

•Women only engaged in marketing small volumes

•Women have little control over the income derived

West Gojam,

•when traditional women’s crops and products become commercialized men take over: milk and vegetables

•Savings groups are very important to women:

1.They have control over the loan

2.Provides them with resources to participate in sub-sectors.

Recommendations for Phase III

Focus on the sub-sectors that are important to women and where CA occurs, e.g. honey and milk in West Gojam zone.

1.Role of external agents: how are they supporting CA? Is it sustainable, what is the long term impact on women, material and non-material benefits.

2.Explore linkages between the different CA groups: how does membership in several of these enable women to realize potential benefits more fully?

3.How can CA in potentially profitable areas, such as improved seed production, be designed so that women benefit?