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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | The Role of Women in Traditional Agriculture: A Case Study of Women in Food Crops Production in Rivers State, Nigeria |
Authors: | Mbata, J.N. Amadi, C.J. |
Year: | 1993 |
Periodical: | Discovery and Innovation (ISSN 1015-079X) |
Volume: | 5 |
Issue: | 1 |
Period: | March |
Pages: | 81-87 |
Language: | English |
Notes: | biblio. refs., ills. |
Geographic terms: | Nigeria West Africa |
Subjects: | women farmers women food production Cultural Roles agriculture Sex Roles Agriculture, Agronomy, Forestry Rivers State (Nigeria) |
Abstract: | This study investigates the role of women in food crop production in Rivers State, Nigeria. It has been established that in agriculture, women account for about 60-80 percent of the labour force in the country. The study has the following objectives: to examine women's supply of labour in various stages of food production; to find out whether women have their own farms; to determine women's resource use efficiency in food crop production; and to highlight the problems encountered by women farmers in food crop production and offer suggestions for improvement. It is shown that women in the study area are inefficient in the use of all production factors. They could attain economic efficiency by increasing their farm size and the use of hired labour and seed inputs, and by reducing the amount of family labour employed on the farms. Socioeconomic factors (age, farm size, level of education, method of land acquisition, sources of labour and capital) contributed in no small measure to women farmers' decisionmaking. The women's low level of education appeared to be a basic impediment to rapid agricultural development. Institutional obstacles to women's innovation adoption include the traditional land tenure system, which makes inheritance the exclusive right of men, and weak extension links between women and extension agents. Policy recommendations conclude the paper. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. |