Contribution of women’s off-farm activities to the socio-economic development of rural households: a case study of women in Bugesera district

Abstract

The off-farm activities play a significant role in releasing different families from poverty. The purpose of this research carried out in Bugesera District was to evaluate how off- farm activities contribute to socio-economic development of women dwelling in rural areas.This study had the following objectives: To examine women’s motivations for engaging in different off farming activities,to examine women’s challenges and opportunities to engagement in off farm economic activities and their ability to respond to them and to assess the contribution of off-farm activities on rural women’s livelihoods. Data collection involved the use of three instruments: The questionnaire, key informant interviews and Focus group discussion. The questionnaire was administrated to the sample of 110 selected among 1009 women who are engaged in off farm activities in two sectors (Rilima and Kamabuye) of Bugesera District. Key informant interviews were conducted with two social affairs and two representative women from two selected sectors. Twenty respondents were chosen amongst 1009 respondents to form two focus groups discussions of ten respondents per each. Ten participants were composed by two women from each activity including retail shop operations, tailoring and mobile phone agents, trading of vegetables and fruits and coffee and tea shops. Quantitative data were analyzed through using frequency counts, percentages and Microsoft excel. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis by interpreting information collected during focus group discussions and key informant interviews. In general, the study revealed that rural women are motivated to engage in off farm activities with the aim of supplementing their agricultural production. It was also noted that the incomes generated by these activities have a great impact on the socio-economic development of households whose women are involved in the mentioned activities. Though the study showed some encountered challenges like lack of enough capital, collateral, time constraints and educational background, it was observed that women who are engaged in off farming activities are financially independent comparing their lives before practicing the same activities. The study ends in recommending that more stakeholders should continue to help rural women engage in more off farming activities in order to increase household’s incomes.