Participation level of rural women in vegetable cultivation activities in Iraq

Abstract

Vegetables are cultivated all over the world, and women do represent an important part of labour force in vegetable production. This study identified the role of rural women in vegetables cultivation. One hundred and forty rural women participating in vegetable cultivation were randomly selected. A list of 3 aspects of vegetable cultivation activities: pre-sowing and sowing, post-sowing, and harvest and post-harvest, covering 20 activities was prepared. About half of the respondents had high participation in vegetable cultivation activities. Pre-sowing and sowing aspect ranked first. Land cleaning, seed treatment, sowing (and replanting) seeds, fertilization, hoeing, hand weeding, harvesting, sorting and grading, and seed storage were the activities in which rural women showed high level of participation. Age, educational level and number of family women who participated in vegetable cultivation were negatively and significantly related to participation, while, years of experience and cultivated area had positive relationship. There is need to increase expertise and skills of rural women in vegetable cultivation activities especially that showed highly participation through an appropriate extension strategy.