The Role of Women in Agriculture and Food Security in North Kordofan State

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to identify the role of the women in agriculture and food security in North Kordofan state. For the purpose of this study both primary and secondary data were used. Secondary data were collected from different sources such as internet, Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD office N.K). The primary data were collected using structural questionnaire (Appendix No.1) which was designed, inspected, corrected, to be applicable for the study. The primary data collected include general information a bout women socio-economics characteristics such as age, social status, education level, land ownership and utilization, the main activities of women (productive, social and home working) in the study area. A random sampling technique was used in which Um Rowaba province was divided into four districts administratively: Wad ashana, Middle Um Rowaba, North Um Rowaba, and Elrahad. Two villages were selected from Wad ashana administrative, three villages from Um Rowaba middle, and three from Elrahad district, then, a random sample has been taken from each village according to the village size and the family number in it, ending up with a sample size of 90 respondents. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data obtained using SPSS software. The study result revealed that the rural women in Um Rowaba locality plays an important role in agriculture and food security as women participate by 52% of labor force in all farm activities and crops production. The results iv showed that most time of working hours for women were expended in the farm, i.e. about 18.4% of the working hours. Moreover, the most important income source for women is agriculture which represents 44.5% of women's monthly income and the major expenses were directed towards eating and drinking (26.6%). Despite the important role of women in agriculture and food security, she complains the lack of awareness, education and training in the fields of research, decision making, and membership of professional and cooperative societies in the agricultural sector. Based on the results obtained it could be recommended that the prerequisites of rural women in the study area are education, finance, directive services, training, social development programs, research and studies, encouragement for women to be induced in all agricultural institutions and activities.