“The pluses of pulses”: haricot beans and women’s empowerment in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

This practical note demonstrates the role that haricot beans play in assisting women to become food and nutrition secure, to generate income, and to have sustainable livelihoods that are resilient to shocks. Based on qualitative research among female and male beneficiaries of a pulse innovation project implemented in southern Ethiopia, the note provides a summary of the critical voices of farmers, and the role that haricot beans play in empowering women. It also outlines some of the challenges that the project faced in achieving its empowerment objectives.

Ce point pratique démontre le rôle joué par les haricots dans la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle, la génération de revenus et la durabilité de moyens de subsistance résistants aux chocs chez les femmes. S'appuyant sur une recherche qualitative conduite parmi des bénéficiaires des deux sexes d'un projet innovant sur les légumes secs qui a été mis en œuvre dans le sud de l'Éthiopie, ce point pratique propose un résumé des critiques des agriculteurs, et du rôle joué par les haricots dans l'autonomisation des femmes. Il met également l'accent sur les difficultés rencontrées par le projet dans la réalisation de ses objectifs d'autonomisation.

Esta nota práctica da cuenta del rol desempeñado por las alubias blancas posibilitando que las mujeres cuenten con seguridad alimentaria y nutricional, generen ingresos y disfruten de medios de vida sostenibles, resilientes a choques de distinta índole. A partir de investigaciones cualitativas realizadas entre mujeres y hombres beneficiarios de un proyecto de innovación de legumbres implementado en el sur de Etiopía, esta nota proporciona un resumen de las voces críticas de los campesinos, así como de las maneras en que las alubias blancas pueden empoderar a las mujeres. Además, expone algunos de los retos enfrentados por el proyecto para lograr sus objetivos de empoderamiento.

KEYWORDS:

• Environment (built and natural) – Food security
• Labour and livelihoods – Poverty reduction
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Esayas Bekele Geleta is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Carol Henry is an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Nutrition in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

Patience Elabor-Idemudia is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

Notes

1. Southern Ethiopia refers to Southern Nations Nationalities People’s Region (SNNPR) which is located in the southern and south-western part of Ethiopia. The region has an area of 110,931 square km, approximately 10% of Ethiopia, and a population of roughly 18 million, about 20% of the total population of Ethiopia. SNNPR consists of around 56 ethnic groups with distinct geographical locations, languages, cultures, and social identities. It is one of the least developed regions of Ethiopia and the vast majority of its population lives in rural areas, with only an estimated 7% living in urban centres. The mainstay of the region’s economy is subsistence agriculture. Administratively, the region has 14 zones that consist of a total of 117 woredas (districts), and eight autonomous (special) districts. The project has been running in 15 districts, selected based on their agro-ecological suitability for pulse innovation. The research was undertaken in three of these 15 districts (Halaba, Sodo, and Meskan), which were among the first areas in which the pulse innovation was implemented.

2. Gender integration targets connecting gender equality policies to specific aims and priorities of development programmes. While gender mainstreaming dates back to the 1970s, within the last two decades, gender integration in development has been increasingly emphasised. The focus on gender integration emerged because even when gender mainstreaming in development programmes exists and is strong, gender equality policies do not always connect to the specific intervention objectives and priorities (Henry and Beyene 2016).

3. The relationship between poverty and disease has long been established and diseases such as malaria are high in areas where extreme poverty is rife. Traditionally, nutritionists recommend a high-protein diet, especially in high temperate zones, to prevent malaria. While high temperature causes the body to be weak and appetite to decline, protein helps protect the synthesis of immune that protects against parasites (Kaler 2008).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), University of Saskatchewan, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Global Affairs Canada, Government of Canada.