Gender gaps in rural household heads' sources and access to agricultural resources: a case study of Osun State, Nigeria.

摘要

The study investigated gender differences in farming rural household heads' sources and ease of access to agricultural resources with the purpose of inferring implications for food security and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. The study was conducted among 119 male and 41 female household heads selected via simple random sampling procedure. Data for the study was elicited from the respondents using duly pretested and structured interview schedule. Most of the Male Household Heads (MHHs) and Female Household Heads (FHHs) acquired their farmland through inheritance from their parents and husbands respectively. Personal savings was the most common source of capital to both MHHs and FHHs, while bank/financial institutions served as no alternative source to the FHHs but MHHs. There was no significant difference between MHHs' and FHHs' ease of access to major agricultural resources such as: capital, land, labor, extension services, in-organic fertilizer, herbicides, and tractor in the study area, with the exception of access to seedlings and livestock feeds. Hence, involvement of women in decision making (such as in household headship) empowers them socio-economically and could contribute significantly to bridging the traditionally created gender gaps in the Nigerian socio-economic pyramid. Socio-economic empowerment of women farmers through their involvement in decision making could therefore be significant to the attainment of food security and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria, where women are the majority of the agricultural workforce.