The study finds out that hoe-cultivation has been and continues to be therndominant system of agriculture ill Sidama. Ilowcver, at present peasants in somernparts of the Sidama have adopted plough cultivation. This study reveals thatrnirrespect ive of the farming techniques used men playa pivotal ro le in both foodrnand coffee production. Iloeing/pioughing, ferti lizing, sowing, planting, weedingrnand harvesting are the major agricultural operations carried out by men. Women,rnon the other hand, are mainly invo lved in manuring and processing the Sidama'srnimportant staple, cnset. Thus, the study argues that Boserup's ( 1970) generalizedrnaccount of women's dominance in hoc system of agriculture does not hold true forrnthe Sidama.rnThe study reveals that, in Sidama, the gender divi sion of labor in agriculturalrnproduction persists over a century's dramatic socio-economic and politicalrntransfonnation. The Sidama undcrwent changes, among others, in the customaryrntenure system, cropping patterns and agricultural technology. Despite thesernchanges long- establi shed gender roles remain unchanged. In addition, this thesisrnexhibits an identical gender-based division of labor in both coffee and foodrnvrnproducing areas on the one hand, and in hoe and plough cultivation areas on thernother. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that the types of agriculturalrntechnology, land tenure system and cropping patterns do not adequately explainrnthe pattern of gcnder roles in agricultural production.rnBefore land became a scarce resource polygyny was the dominant form ofrnmarriage in Sidama. At present monogamy is the major type or marriage.rnIlowever, some Sidama men who have large and dispersed plots of land sti llrnpractise polygyny. The persistence of polygyny can be attributed to the Sidama'srnheavy reliance on cnsct production in which women are indispensable mainly inrnmanuring and processing it and Sidama mcn's strong desire for many chi ldrcn.rnThis thesis argues against the proposition that claims the existence of arnrelationship between bridcwealth and women's dominance in agriculturalrnproduction. Bridewealth is the only form of marriage payment in Sidama, but menrnare important actors in agricultural production. Bridegroom's parents transfer eashrnto the bride's parents not in exchangc for women's agrieultura llabour. The studyrnargues that bridewealth payment in the study area mainly entails the transfer ofrnexclusive righ ts to a husband and his kinsmen over children.