RELATIVE PARTICIPATION OF NIGERIAN ADULT FEMALES IN DRUDGERY-PRONE FARM ACTIVITIES: IMPLICATIONS ON NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY
1 Department of Geography and Planning, University of Jos, Nigeria
* Corresponding author: matonsamuel99@gmail.com
* Corresponding author: matonsamuel99@gmail.com
Abstract
Nigerian adult females are instrumental to agricultural
production which is central to the achievement of selfsufficiency in food to fight hunger. Despite this, women's
relative farm sizes under cultivation, and their actual
involvement in drudgery-prone farm activities are not well
known to policy- makers for interventions. This study has
therefore examined the relative contribution of Nigerian
adult females in drudgery-prone farm activities and the
implications on national food security. The specific
objectives were to determine: the age-gender distribution of
national population; the relative farm sizes being owned in
some selected States by gender; and the proportion of adult
females involved in drudgery-prone farm activities. The
study adopted a historical research design approach. Data
were gathered from reputable secondary sources. The data
were transformed to percentages, means and inferential
statistics and presented in tables. The result revealed that
Nigerian females within the age groups 20-29 and 30-39
years old accounted for 8.4% and 6.7%, respectively; while
their male counterparts of the same age groups constituted
6.6% and 5.5% respectively. Females owned and controlled
about 26% of the farmlands against the 74% being owned
and controlled by their male counterparts in the surveyed
States of the country. Females alone participated in 13 out
of the 17 identified drudgery-prone farm activities, which
range from land preparations to marketing of farm produce.
The ANOVA test result indicated that the P-value is below
the the predetermined level of 0.05, we can conclude that
there is a significant difference in participation in farm
drudgeries among Nigerian women, men and children.
High participation in farm drudgeries portends serious
threat to national food security, as evident by the shortfall in
staple food items and the skyrocketing prices in recent times.
Sequel to this, the paper recommends the need for Nigerian
female gender to form a formidable farming groups at all
levels to attract Government's support in the area of
mechanized inputs and machinery at subsidized rates,
among others.
Keywords
Female
male
children
drudgery-prone activities
food security
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How to Cite
M, M. S., DAYIL, C. D., J., A., T, B. E., A, I. A., & G, B. (2024). RELATIVE PARTICIPATION OF NIGERIAN ADULT FEMALES IN DRUDGERY-PRONE FARM ACTIVITIES: IMPLICATIONS ON NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY. Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, 15(1), 88-95. https://doi.org/10.67862/hjjgs.2024.aebqzing
M. S. M, C. D. DAYIL, A. J., B. E. T, I. A. A, and B. G, "RELATIVE PARTICIPATION OF NIGERIAN ADULT FEMALES IN DRUDGERY-PRONE FARM ACTIVITIES: IMPLICATIONS ON NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY," Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 88-95, January 2024. doi: 10.67862/hjjgs.2024.aebqzing