Abstract:
Rural women play diverse roles as food producers, household managers, and income generators through both farm and off-farm activities. However, their vital contributions to sustainable livelihoods and food security are often overlooked and undervalued due to their marginalized status. The study aims to examine the Challenges and Opportunities faced by women in household food security in Wonchi District, Southwest Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional National State. To achieve this goal, primary data was collected from 273 randomly selected participants using questionnaires. Additional information was gathered through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and personal observations. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as frequency distributions, tables, and percentages, with the SPSS version 14.2 software. Qualitative data were used to support the questionnaire responses. The assessment revealed that 89% of participants strongly agreed that women play a significant role in household food security, while 11% agreed. Despite this acknowledgment, women's contributions are often unrecognized, and they lack access to resources, training, and financial support. Moreover, their decision-making power in selling farm products and managing the proceeds is limited. The study found that 100% of women are actively involved in household activities, with 63.7% spending more than 8 hours on domestic work, yet 74.3% receive insufficient help from their husbands. This highlights the double burden of productive and reproductive responsibilities that women bear. The study recommends that society recognize and appreciate the critical roles played by rural women in household food security. It also suggests that relevant sectors take action to raise awareness about gender issues, reduce women's domestic workload, and provide them with access to resources, training, and credit to unlock their full potential in achieving food security
