Abstract:
Rural men and women have different access to productive resources, service, information, and
employment opportunities which may hinder women’s productivity and reduce their
contributions to agriculture, food security and nutrition’s. This research was conducted to
analyze difference in agricultural productivity between male and female headed households in
Debarq District of North Gondar Zone, Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. The study
used cross-sectional data that is collected from a total of 150 sampled respondents. The data
were analyzed by descriptive statistics and econometric model using Statistical Package for
Social Science(SPSS)version 20. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as t-test and
chi-square were used to summarize and compare the information between the two groups. The
Cobb-Douglas production function was used to evaluate the productivity difference in
agriculture productivities between male and female headed households. The result of the study
indicated that farm land, inorganic fertilizer, family size, number of oxen and number of
extension contact were statistically significant in influencing the productivity of male headed
households while farm land, inorganic fertilizer, family size and improved were significant
variables affecting the productivity of female headed households. The agricultural productivity
difference between male and female headed households was about 75.08% in the study area. On
the other hand, if female headed households had equal access to the inputs as male headed
households. the gross value of the output for female headed household would be greater by
19.57% for female headed households. This may imply that female headed households would
have been more productive than male headed households if they had equal access to inputs as
male headed households. Thus accessing female headed households to inputs that increase the
productivity of land, labour utilization, usage of herbicide; and improving the agricultural
production of women and the society at large requires the introduction of technology that save
women's time and energy.
