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:deletologbonse@yahoo.com. 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.