Baseline Study Report of Women Empowerment in South Punjab through Investment in Rural Economy

Small farmers primarily own livestock, while rural women are responsible for caring for the animals, feeding and milking them, arranging and chopping fodder, and cleaning the barns. Women play a crucial role in increasing productivity in the livestock sector and are essential to Pakistan's economic growth. The Punjab Enabling Environment Project (PEEP) under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a five-year engagement to reinforce the Government of Punjab's commitment to bolster the business ecosystem for horticulture, livestock, and dairy subsectors. The Women Empowerment in South Punjab through Investment in Rural Economy (WEinSPIRE) initiative is a key component of the PEEP project, aiming to empower women involved in the livestock sector of South Punjab. Through WEinSPIRE, women will receive financial and technical support to acquire and rear high-yielding livestock breeds. A comprehensive baseline study was conducted in the project areas where PEEP plans to implement its women inclusion and empowerment activities. The study aimed to provide information that will form the benchmark for periodic participatory monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessment of WEinSPIRE. The study involved a detailed quantitative and qualitative research of the current situation in the project area to benchmark prioritized parameters. The information generated will enable PEEP to plan effective implementation of WEinSPIRE activities in the project area. The baseline survey results showed an overall employment rate in selected households to be 58%. Half of the women, aged 14-60 years, were found involved in income-generating activities. In addition, 35% men from the sampled household were found unemployed. Average household income at the time of the baseline survey was PKR 15,303, out of which female contribution was about PKR 5,134. Household earning in the lower quartile stood at PKR 10,000 with a female contribution of PKR 5,000. Average household monthly expenditure of such selected households was about PKR 17,711 per month. Agriculture and livestock were found to be the two major sources of income. Around 66% sample households owned cows, 73% kept goats, and 22% had buffalos for livelihood improvement. Goat keeping was found quite common in the area, as every household owned 5-6 goats on average. In case of shared animal possessions, the number climbed up to 10 goats. Household's investment on average for goats is PKR 160,000 (Sale Price) against PKR 119,000 (Purchased Price). In lower sample quartile, household's investment ranges from PKR 20,000 to PKR 30,000.