THE ROLE OF URBAN DAIRY FARMING ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: THE CASE OF SHASHEMENE AND ARSI NEGELE TOWN OF WEST ARSI ZONE, OROMIA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE OF ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT Urban agriculture has an incredible ability to address various burning issues in the urban community such as poverty, malnutrition, unhygienic food stuff and food insecurity which have arisen due to the continuous increase in global urban population. Women can play a key role in urban agriculture due to their role in food management at household level. Nevertheless, at present women participation in urban agriculture is significantly unsatisfactory. This study was dealt with role of dairy production for women empowerment and also the constraints of urban dairy production and level of milk market supply in shashemene and arsi negele, west arsi zone. Using stratified sampling, 93 women dairy producers were selected from cooperative members and 112 were selected from non-members from both shashemene and arsi negele were involved in sample. The required data were collected from both primary and secondary sources of the data. The data were analyzed using descriptive and econometric method of analysis. In this study area there were different constraints. From these, feed shortage, scarcity of space for dung and water scarcity are the most and significant problems ranked first, second and third constraints respectively. Factors affecting women empowerment was analyzed using multiple regressions model and the result showed that age of women affected negatively and significantly, education level, marital status ,number of milking cows and male head support were affected positively and significantly. Determinants of level of milk market supply was analyzed using tobit model and the result showed that education level, number of milking cows, dairy experience, feed availability and water availability were affected significantly the woman’s level of milk market participation. To improve the intensity of milk supply, awareness creation should be given by agricultural extension workers for women dairy producers to promote their business oriented skill among women farmers. Provision of credit, good management of wastes, purchasing feed directly from producers instead of itinerate traders, these were some of the suggestion given in the study. it is suggested that establishing women self- help groups and dairy sub-sector policy must be adapted to consider gender issues. And also women should be provided with education training on emerging technologies in dairy farming sector to lessen their work load. In this case, as the study indicated that, husbands should support their wives in all aspects their life.