Patriarchy and Women's Agricultural Production in Rural Nigeria

Abstract

The crucial importance of women's contribution to food security in developing countries like Nigeria cannot be over emphasized. It is estimated that about 80% of women in rural areas are engaged in food crops production. Rural women are regarded as the mainstay of small scale agriculture. In most developing countries such as Nigeria, the concern for increasing women's economic participation especially in food production can be seen within the wider general concern to alleviate the economic conditions of the poor households, esp cially those in the rural sector, majority ofwhom are-women and who occupy lower socioeconomic status compared to their male counterparts. Nigeria is a patriarchal society and inheritance is patrilineal which invariably--creates severe cultural inhibitions to the aspiration and productive capacity of women. This paper therefore discusses the constraints faced by women in Nigeria as producers and income earners for their families by focusing on women's burden of reproduction, decision making power, access to and ownership of land, capital, information and technology. In discussing this, it is recognized that both women and men are an integral part of the solution to increasing agricultural productivity and improving household food security and nutrition.