Exploration Of Rural Women‟S Livelihood And Income Generation Activities In Mion District, Northern Region Of Ghana

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.