Abstract: Rural women play integral role in food production, development and stability of rural areas in South Sudan. However, the role of rural women in South Sudan’s economic sector has been neglected. This study aims to document the extent of involvement of rural women in agriculture in Rajaf Payam. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 120 sample size. A structured questionnaire was used, followed by frequency and descriptive analysis of the results. The results showed that 87.5% of rural women were within 18 – 60 years age bracket, 41.6% mostly married, 87.5% had yearly extension contacts and 54.2% were members of social organization. More than half of the women 51.6% lacked formal education and 82.5% had 11-40 years of farming experience. A significant 62.5% had farm sizes less than one hectare, with 58.3% of the farmers borrowing informally. Their level of income was found to be low. Cowpea, jute mellow (Kudura), groundnut, cassava, maize, okra, egg plant, and sorghum constituted predominant crops grown by the farmers while they also reared goats and sheep and kept chickens. It was also found that the farmers participated in land clearing, sowing, weeding, harvesting, transportation of produce/products, processing, storage and marketing. High cost of agricultural inputs (improved seeds and fertilizers) and high cost of farm labor were the highest ranked constraints faced by the rural women. The research recommends the provision of rural women farmers with relevant agricultural technologies, appropriate resources and training to enhance their production. Access to gender-sensitive technologies can alleviate the burden of agricultural tasks, processing, and storage activities, thereby enabling individuals to engage in other income-generating activities.
M.A. Oliwai, Harrison Henry Boying, Santo Lado (2026);
The Extent of Participation of Rural Women in Agricultural Production: A means of Livelihood in Rajaf Payam, South Sudan;
International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP)
16(10) (ISSN: 2250-3153),
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/ 10.29322/IJSRP.16.10.2026.p17809