Gender analysis of participatory needs assessment of Emeroke community of Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria: implications for agricultural extension interventions

Abstract

This study was designed to gender-analyze the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) that was facilitated at Emeroke community in Akwa Ibom State and examine the implications of the findings for agricultural extension interventions. The exercise revealed that there were about 200 households in the community and the average number of persons per household was ten. About 50%, 26% and 24% of the total households (THHs) were food insecured/core poor, medium food insecured/ poor and food secured/non poor respectively. Female headed households (FHHs) constituted about 25% of the total households and about 48% of the food insecured category. The findings further showed that there was gender division of labour. The major occupations of the men and women were fishing and fish processing respectively. The community had a 24- hour daily activity profile due to night fishing in the high seas by the men while women were busy throughout the day. There were poor access and control of fishing and farming technologies, inputs, credit and extension services which was worse for the women. The agriculture related problem prioritized by men was lack of fishing inputs while the women indicated inefficient fish processing methods. It was recommended that extension interventions in the community should facilitate formation of commodity associations to ensure effective resource mobilization and delivery of technologies and inputs. Targeting women, promotion of aquaculture, intensification of cropping and diversification into livestock through Fadama activities will improve productivity and ensure sustainable development.

Keywords: Gender, Analysis, Participatory, Extension, Nigeria