Role of Rural Women in Decision Making Regarding Livestock Management Activities: A Case Study in Elabadia Village, Damanhour District, El- Behira Governorate, Egypt.

Abstract

Livestock in generally considered one of the actors of the agricultural production. Rural women play an important roles in livestock production and marketing in the rural economies of developing countries as unpaid workers. They embark on various activities of livestock management like feeding, cleaning, collecting manure for organic fertilizer and milking. However, their involvement as decision makers regarding various livestock activities is still dubious. Hence the present study was carried out, with main objectives to investigate the involvement of rural women in the management of livestock activities, and to examine the role of rural women in taking decisions related to livestock activities. A systematic random sample of 150 female wives respondents were selected from ELAbadia village, Damanhour district, El-Behira Governorate. Data were collected using interview guided by pre-tested interview questionnaire, and focus group discussions (FGDs) during November and December 2016. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS). The results revealed that rural women's involvement in livestock decision making activities was relatively high in activities like selling/ purchasing of egg, milk products, and selling/ purchasing of poultry. However, their involvement was relatively low in activities like cultivation of fodder for livestock, and number of livestock to be kept. Age, education status, years of women's livestock breeding experience, and household annual income, were the main socioeconomic factors which had affected the involvement of rural women in decision making process.