Socio-Cultural Chllanges in Accessing Farm Resources: The Case of Women in Female Headed Households in Mender Meter Kebele, West Gojjam Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Women are essential to economic growth in developing countries. They play different roles including productive works for earning income and food for the family along with their reproductive works. However, they are not free from gender-based discriminations which is experienced since long time. They face tragic socio- cultural challenges to access farm resources (male labour, modern fertilizer, improved seeds, chemicals, agricultural extension services and credit facilities). The rigid cultural practice and the mind-sets of the community in the area presented a strong gender-based division of labour in farming which makes life difficult for those women who take the risk of heading the household lonely. Above all, women in female headed households did not get equal access to farm resources due to their contested identity have got as they are not real farmers. Therefore, it was intended to study the challenges of women in female headed households in accessing farm resources aiming to analyze socio-cultural challenges which are responsible for it. To this end, four Gots were selected purposively. Out of these Gots, 16 women household heads were interviewed. More over focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted with male labourers and positioned peoples in the study area respectively. Then, analysis of data was followed and on the basis of this analysis, it was able to come up with a number of findings. The presence of rigid gender division of labour, their low decision-making power as female headed households at the community level, less bargaining power of female headed households to get male laborer and others are found as main challenges. Finally, recommendations follow which is expected to be presented to the whole society in the study area so that they should work for solving the problems of women by creating alternative strategies like promoting the resource accessing opportunities and assuring its implementation.