“Enset is a Good Thing” Gender and Enset in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia

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Katie MacEntee
Jennifer Thompson
Sirawdink Fikreyesus
emeru Jihad

Abstract

Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman is a perennial corm crop grown in house yards and consumed predominantly in the south and southwest regions of Ethiopia. Often described as a “woman’s crop” for women’s labor roles in the processing, cooking and selling of enset products, the plant is notorious for the strenuous work involved in its harvest and post-harvest management. Following a qualitative feminist framework, we interviewed male and female enset farmers as well as other experts with regards to enset and gender in Jimma Zone. The data analysis identified four major themes: 1) The benefits and uses of enset; 2) The gender division of labor and decision-making; 3) Gendered challenges; and 4) The technology gap. The discussion suggests some important considerations in terms of scaling up enset production for wider distribution and the potential impacts of these developments on women  farmers. Enset is an important crop, especially for women who maintain control over the outputs. Women depend on the crop to feed their families and access money in times of financial strain.

Article Details

How to Cite
Katie MacEntee, K., Thompson, J., Fikreyesus, S., & Jihad, emeru. (1). “Enset is a Good Thing”. Ethiopian Journal of Applied Science and Technology, (1), 103-109. Retrieved from https://ejhs.ju.edu.et/index.php/ejast/article/view/551
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Articles
Author Biographies

Katie MacEntee, McGill University, Montreal

Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

E-mail : katherine.macentee@mail.mcgill.ca

Jennifer Thompson, McGill University, Montreal

Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

Sirawdink Fikreyesus, Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

Department of Post-Harvest Management, Jimma University College of Agriculture and
Veterinary Medicine, Jimma, Ethiopia

emeru Jihad, Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

Department of Horticulture and Plant Sciences, Jimma University College of Agriculture and
Veterinary Medicine, Jimma, Ethiopia