A study was conducted in urban and peri urban areas of Debre Berhan town, north Shewa zone, Amhara regional state to assess the role of gender and dairy production systems. Formal survey was used to collect data. A total of 180 households (60 from urban and 120 from peri urban) were selected based on ownership of dairy cow and willingness to participate in the study. Crop residues, industrial by-products, conserved hay and stubble were the major feed resources reported in the study area. Most of the respondents frequently reported that milking operations such as cleaning of milk container and barn, milk product processing and marketing were mainly performed by women. Among the family members, husbands were more involved in dairy animal health management, mating of dairy cow, selling and buying of dairy animals than other family members. The overall mean milk yields/cow of local and crossbred cows were 1.39 and 8.96 litres per day, respectively. The urban dairy producers (53%) had better access to artificial insemination service than their counterparts in peri urban area. The peri urban dairy producers mainly practiced natural mating through improved crossbred cows and indigenous bulls. Shortage of capital, feed, limited veterinary services and low cattle productivity were the major constraints to dairy production. Therefore, collective action from government and development partners has a comparative advantage to enhance smallholder dairy production.

Keywords: Dairy, gender, breeding, dairy producers, feed resources, marketing