Rural Women\'s Involvement In Dry Season Vegetable Production And Marketing In Ezinihitte Local Government Area Of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated rural women's involvement in dry season vegetable production and marketing in Ezinihitte local government area of Imo state, Nigeria. a purposive sampling technique was adopted in selecting six communities from the study area because of their proximity to the Imo River valley basin. Twenty respondents were randomly selected from each of the communities thus making a total of 120 respondents involved in the study. Primary data were collected through the use of questionnaire and data analysis was by use of frequency distribution, percentages, mean scores and Maximum Likelihood Probit regression estimates. Findings of the study revealed that dry season vegetable production and marketing were the sole preserve of married women in the study area. About 82% of the respondents had an average household size of seven persons with an average income of N5, 500 per month realized from vegetables only. Probit regression analysis revealed that age and household size were positive and statistically significant at 1% level. On the other hand, education and income were negative and statistically significant at 1% and 5% level respectively. Respondents encountered problems such as lack of storage facilities and credit, pesticides, improved seeds and fertilizers, as well as extension services. Access to factors of production such as land, labour and capital were identified as major problems hampering production activities. It was recommended that policies and programmes aimed at alleviating poverty should be pursued and should be women and youth friendly. Keywords: rural women's involvement, dry season vegetable, production and marketingGlobal Approaches to Extension Practice Vol. 3 (2) 2007: pp. 9-14