Impact of irrigation farming on women empowerment, food security and poverty status in North West Province, South Africa
Abstract
Women play a critical and potentially transformative role in agricultural growth in
developing countries, but they face persistent obstacles and economic constraints
limiting further inclusion in agriculture. This is because women are marginalised
because of social and cultural exclusion they face in their communities. This study
examine the impact of irrigation farming on women empowerment, food security and
poverty status in the North West Province of South Africa. A probability sampling
method involving simple random sampling techniques was adopted to select the
respondents and a sample if 120 farmers was be randomly selected to obtain a
representative sample :from the participating farmers on the schemes. A structured
questionnaire with open and closed ended questions was used to collect demographic
information on their socio- economic status, women empowerment, food security,
competency and training needs, institutions that support women. Data was analysed by
using the Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as
:frequency distribution, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used while
Linear regression, Pro bit and FGT model were used as inferential statistics.
The results shows that most of the respondents were in the age bracket of 41 to 50
years (72%), married (42.2 %), primary education (32.5%). 66.3% of farmers have
farming experience ranging from 1-10 years. With regard to income sources pension
was the greatest non-farm contributor (30%). Fifty percent of the women had low SES
scores,40% low in competency skills and more than 50% get support :from different
institutions for their farming productivity. Significant determinants of empowerment
were expenditure (t = 1.68), drip irrigation type (t = 1.71). In the Probit model to
analyse food security the results showed that the significant variables included
household expenditure (t=-1.9), marital status (t= -2.37), non-farming activities(t=1.53),
farming expenditure(t=l.76),income, central pivot(t=-2.71), sprinkler irrigation(t=0.77),
micro(t=- 3.44) and drip irrigation(t=-2.19). The study also examine the empowerment
indices to show different areas where women are empowered and this covered in this
study include the use of income (53%) are disempowered, about 60.2% Ofwomen are
disempowered in access to productive capital and access to credit ,while about 50% are
empowered in leadership and decision making.