Empowering Adolescent Girls through Livestock Business Enterprises in Rural Ethiopian Villages: An Agricultural Perspective

Rural Ethiopian villages face significant challenges in livelihood diversification, particularly among adolescent girls who lack access to formal education and employment opportunities. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a quantitative survey (n=150) and qualitative interviews with village leaders and beneficiaries. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Adolescent girls who participated in livestock business enterprises reported an average increase of 20% in household income over two years, with significant improvements in educational enrollment rates (65%) and health indicators (80%). The findings suggest that livestock business enterprises can be a viable pathway for economic empowerment and social advancement among adolescent girls in rural Ethiopian villages. Further research should explore scalability and replication of these initiatives, while policymakers should consider integrating such programmes into existing agricultural support systems.