APPRAISAL OF WOMEN FARMERS PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (ADP) PROGRAMMES IN ENUGU STATE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to appraise women farmers’ participation in Agricultural Development Project (ADP) Programmes in Enugu State. Six research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted descriptive survey design. Structured questionnaire was developed and used for data collection, from a sample of 356 women farmers in Enugu State. The questionnaire was face validated and tested for reliability before use. Three hundred and fifty-six copies of the instrument were administered on the respondents, out of which three hundred and forty-two were completed and returned. The data collected were analyzed using mean, to answer the research questions, while analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypothesis at 0.5 level of significant. The findings revealed that (i) the respondents agreed that women farmers participated actively in the following crop production programmes of ADP in Enugu State: seed multiplication programmes, radio programmes on crop production, among others. (ii) Also, women farmers participated actively in the following livestock production programmes of ADP in Enugu State: hybrids multiplication programmes, supplementary feed formulation programmes among others. (iii) women farmers participated in the following storage, processing and marketing programmes of ADP in Enugu State: garri processing programmes of ADP, Soya bean processing programmes of ADP among others women farmers participated in the following pest and disease control programmes of ADP in Enugu State: Multiplication and distribution of pest resistant cassava programmes of ADP, Multiplication and distribution of disease resistant yam programmes, distribution and sales of agro-chemical programmes among others. (v) the respondents agreed, strongly on the following constraints to the women farmers’ participation in the programmes of ADP in Enugu State: marginalization of women in socio-cultural setting, lack of education among others. (vi) Finally it was agreed upon by the respondents that the following are the required measures for improving women farmers’ participation in the programmes of ADP in Enugu State:- stopping discrimination against women, provision of education for women among others. Hypothesis tested also revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean ratings of women farmers in Nsukka, Enugu and Awgu ADP Zones on the extent of their participation in ADP programmes.