ANALYZING THE EFFECT OF GENDER DIFFERENCE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY: THE CASE OF DEBARQ DISTRICT IN NORTH GONDER ZONE, AMHARA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

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.