Involvement of women in livestock husbandry in urban and peri-urban of Khartoum North Province (KNP) of Sudan

A total of 110 livestock producers of which 37 large commercial, 53 small commercial and 20 subsistence households (HHs) distributed in Silate, Kadaro, Halfaya and Bahri city divisions of the Khartoum North Province (KNP), Sudan were randomly selected and interviewed using structured questionnaires. The objectives set for this study is to investigate intra- household division of labour in urban and peri-urban systems. As a general rule women are not involved in large commercial activities such as dairy farms. Although most of the farm job in small commercial farms was done by males, 5.6% of HHs had wives taking role in feeding and only 3.3% HHs had adult females (other than wives) taking role in feeding (cut and carry) and managing young stock, respectively. With regards to decision taking though dominated by males, female members were also involved. The information obtained from the study area demonstrated that there were also gender differences in residential livestock keeping in all the divisions. Males in Silate and Kadaro (peri-urban) divisions were responsible for grazing and cut and carry feed. Females in Bahri city who constituted 75% of the female headed HHs in the study area, were also responsible for cut and carry feed. They also had the same role as males in feeding and milking animals. Males seemed to dominate decision-taking processes in terms of economic activities like buying and selling livestock and products in the subsistence livestock keeping. It appeared that women's labour supply in urban and peri-urban livestock husbandry in KNP can not be underestimated.