Abstract:
There appears to be a lack of literature in the Ghanaian context about how
rural women exploit available resources for a living. This study assessed the
income generating resources at the disposal of women for their livelihood in
the Mion District. The qualitative phenomenology design with purposive and
snowballing technique were used to sample 30 women in the Mion District.
The result of the study showed that farming and non-farming activities like
shea butter, locust beans and charcoal production are the means through which
women in the Mion District earned their livelihood. Women in the Mion
District engage in Income Generating Activities (IGAs) to meet their basic
needs. The government did not give formal training or education to support
rural women to equip them with modern farm practices. Moreover, it was
found that as a measure to sustain the livelihood of women, traditional by-laws
prevented people in the area from cutting trees with economic values for
charcoal production. Cultural limitations, weather conditions, lack of
education and training and financial challenges are limitation factors that limit
women in the area from accessing IGAs. It was recommended that rural
women in the Northern part of Ghana should be targeted with more secured
and diversified sources of income generating activities for livelihood. Also,
they should be assisted by the government to identify real opportunities in
their work in the form of value addition to their farming, shea, Africa locust
beans (dawadawa) and charcoal production.
