A study on increasing effecctiveness of rural woman in income generating activities: The case of Erzurum province

Compare to Turkey's averages, share of agricultuture in total GDP is higher and thus the role of agriculture in the economy of the province is more important. Rural women in Erzurum are more active in economic activities than women in the city as it is case all around Turkey. Although this fact, women do not take role in decision making as much as desired. However, family in a farm is owner, worker as well as administrator. Becuse this multifuctional job, common mind and the role and contribution of rural women in decission making is crucial. The objective of this study is to determine the problems related to efficiency of rural women in income generation activities and driving alternative solutions to the problem stated. For this aim, Erzurum is divided to four regions and 120 samples of rural women samples were chosen from at most four villages in every region totaling 15 villages to conduct a survey study. Statistical summaries were calculated and tabled with respect to the objectives of the study by using data provided from the survey. According the results of the study, 95,8% of rural women took place in agricultural production as 24,2% of them is in crop farming, 37,5% of them is in animal husbandry and 34,2% of them is in both. The results indicate that rural women in Erzurum like to improve their work, give importance to health and thus health insurance firstly then the income they earn, do not take place in decision making at 65% level, are happy living in a traditional environment, like to improve living and working conditions by receiving problem oriented training and like to be helped by the government with infrastructure more then subsidies. All these results concludes that Rural women in Erzurum are obiously able to improve themselves better, to take role in decision making more often and efficiently and to enhance living and working conditions in case of increasing general education level, improving healty living conditions, receiving infrostructure services rather than subsidies of the government and having opportunity to socialize in income generating activities. Keywords: Rural woman