ISSN 2329-9797
Full Length Research Paper
Factors influencing women participation in Women In Agriculture (WIA) Programme of Kaduna State Agricultural Development Project , Nigeria
*Tologbonse, E.B1; Jibrin M. M2 ; Auta, S.J1; and Damisa, M.A2.
1National Agricultural Extension & Research Liaison Services, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Nigeria.
2Department of Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology, ABU, Zaria, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:[email protected]. Tel. +2348036426505
Accepted 05 July, 2013
Abstract
The study was conducted to determine women farmers’ participation in Women In Agriculture (WIA) programmes. The output and income of women who participated and those who did not participate in the WIA programme were also compared. A multi-stage sampling method was employed to select 272 respondents. Primary data were collected through the use of questionnaires and interview schedule and were subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean farming experience was 11.4years for WIA participants and 9.8years for non-WIA participants while mean farm size for participants was 1.4ha. and 0.9ha for non-WIA participants. The main source of agricultural information was radio. Regression analysis showed that level of education, age and marital status were significantly related with level of participation. The mean output of WIA participants (688.06kg) was significantly higher than non-WIA participants (139.91kg). The difference in the mean output levels was largely attributed to participation in WIA programme. Calculated Z-statistic value (274.04) for income was significant at 5%. The findings concluded that the difference (₦118,783.69) in the mean income could be attributed to their participation in WIA programmes. Therefore, it was recommended that WIA programmes be sustained and encouraged by Kaduna State Government.
Key words: Women In Agriculture, level of participation, enterprise, farm income, farm output, Agricultural Development Project.