Agrarian women development engagement and socio-economic wellbeing of inhabitants of odukpani local government area in cross river state, nigeria.

Abstract

Agrarian women are active agents of economic and social change and environmental protection who are in many ways and to various degrees. The study investigated agrarian women development engagement and socio-economic wellbeing of inhabitants of Odukpani Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were: to examine the relationship between women sustainable food system efforts and socio-economic wellbeing; to determine the association between rural women entrepreneurship promotion and socio-economic wellbeing. The study adopted the Endogenous Development Model. The research design adopted was the qualitative and quantitative approaches of survey. Data were collected from 400 respondents selected through multi-stage sampling techniques from communities in Odukpani Local Government Area. The generated data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation, and Chi-square. The tested hypotheses revealed that agrarian women development alternative in sustainable food security is significantly related with household wellbeing among inhabitants of Odukpani communities. The other key finding of the study was that a significant association exists between entrepreneurship promotion and improved income among inhabitants of Odukpani communities. Agrarian women development engagement are significant predictors of socio-economic wellbeing in terms of reduction in rural poverty, self-sufficiency, adequate nutrition, improved household income, etc. The key recommendations were that agriculture ensures food security and it is a means of guaranteeing rural livelihoods and overall wellbeing. Since rural women have made immense contributions in food security, supportive infrastructural policies and programmes should be a priority of government at all levels.