Socio-cultural factors determining roles and responsibilities in traditional cattle production systems within rural communities of upper Egypt

Livestock, and particularly cattle production, represents one of the main sources of revenue for Upper Egypt rural communities. An understanding of the socio-cultural factors influencing rural communities’ traditional livestock production systems is essential for the formulation and implementation of any intervention strategies willing to preserve and manage animal genetic resources at community-based level. The objective of this study was to identify and understand the socio-cultural factors responsible for the division of roles and responsibilities within the Upper Egypt rural society in relation to cattle production related activities. A structured survey undertaken within selected households in the governorates of Sohag and Assiut, showed that adult women play the most important role in cattle farming, nevertheless they participate very rarely in the decision making processes, which is typically an adult men responsibility. This fact is most probably due to Upper Egypt rural women’s little access to information, as a consequence of their limited interaction outside their family unit, and the economical nature of the decision which is mainly the responsibility of adult men.