GENDER DIFFERENTIALS IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AMONG SMALLHOLDERS IN ADA, LUME AND GIMBICHU WOREDAS OF THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF ETHIOPIA

Abstract

In 1996/97, a survey of 180 farmers (99 male farmers and 81 female
farmers) was conducted in Ada, Lume and Gimbichu Woredas in the central
highlands of Ethiopia to determine the gender differentials in agricultural
productivity among smallholders. The evidence shows that male-headed
households had more land, labor, and capital, particularly livestock (cattle),
compared to female-headed households. It was also shown that male-headed
households had more access to formal education compared to female-headed
households. The production function analysjs showed that the elasticities for
the significant factors affecting the gross value of output of male-headed
households were farmers ' age (-0.21), fertilizer (0.10), farm-size (0.56),