GENDER ANALYSIS OF RURAL SMALL-SCALE ARABLE CROP FARMING IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was conducted on Gender analysis of rural small- scale arable crop farming in Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. Multi-stage random sampling techniques was used to select 150 respondents for the study. Data was collected through the use of structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Results showed that in age distribution of respondents according to gender, about 70% of the male respondents and 60% of the female were less than 35 years of age with only 2.67% and 4.00% respectively being above 55 years. 80% of male and 76% of female were married while 92% of male had formal education as compared to 86.7% for female. Also, 50.66% of male farmers had large families of seven and above while 50.67% of their female counterpart had family size of seven and above. About 16% of the male farmers accessed loan from banks as against 6.7% of the female folks. Male farmers dominated in yam production with over 84% as against the female group that had only 20% of the females involved. Females were into cassava production (60%) as against their male counterpart with 33.3%. The econometric analysis for determinants of gender productivity among small holder farmers showed that coefficients for farm size and age were negative and significant at 5% level for the male and 1% for the female. The coefficients for capital inputs, planting materials, labour and education were positive as expected and significant at 5% level for the male farmers and 1% level for the female farmers. Inadequate credit was the most important constraints to small- scale arable crop farming with 80%. Major constraints also include inadequate extension services (70%). It was recommended that extension agents should sensitize and involve more rural small-scale arable crop female farmers in their contact and training.