Women empowerment in agricultural activities and its impact on farming household food security: The case of Anna Sorra District, Guji Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia

AbstractWomen empowerment in agricultural endeavors is deemed to be a powerful solution for improving global sustenance. Thus, this survey seeks to analyze the impact that women’s participation in agriculture has on the food security of 336 households from Anna Sorraa District, Guji zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using household surveys, focus group discussions, and data collection methods using key informant interviews. Statistical measures such as the Women Empowerment in Agriculture Index and household calorie availability were used for descriptive analysis, while binary logistic regression and Propensity Scores Matching provided insights through econometric modeling. Results indicated that 58.6% of women’s were disempowered. Household calorie intake statistics revealed that 53.9% of those surveyed had food insecure households, while 46.1% had food intake available to them. A regression analysis found most factors, including age, female head of household, female education level, Husband’s education and annual household income positively impacted women empowerments—with one exception being whether subject lived near a market or not. Propensity Scores Matching further demonstrated that households with empowered women consumed 560.89 kcal/AE/day compared to those without such an asset. Research concluded that women’s involvement in agricultural activities is a crucial factor to improve food security in this area. Consequently, it was strongly recommended that government and other stakeholders focus their attention on empowering women. Additionally, further research should be conducted to gain an even more comprehensive understanding of how important female empowerment really is.