Entrepreneurial Competency of Women Farmers in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the entrepreneurial competencies among women farmers in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Specifically, this paper described the characteristics of the respondents, identified the characteristics (type, form and duration) of enterprises the respondents engaged in, and examined their constraints to entrepreneurial development. Structured interview schedule was used to collect relevant information from 165 women farmers selected through multi-stage sampling procedure across 6 local government areas of Nasarawa State. Descriptive statistics (percentages and mean) were used to analyze the data. Most (82.8%) of the women entrepreneur were married, and had less than secondary education (82.3%). Also the mean age, household size and annual income was 39, 8 and ₦208,759.38 respectively. Furthermore, the majority (81%) did not belong to their respective business associations. Processing was the major type of business engaged in by many (58.8%) as sole proprietor (87.9%). Persistence, commitment to work contract, and risk-taking ranked highest with a mean score of 2.55, 2.47 and 2.40, respectively among the women entrepreneurial characteristics. Lack of start-up capital (95%), poor infrastructural facilities (93%), and inadequate access to relevant information (89%) were the major constraints to women farmers’ entrepreneurial development. Various tiers of government should create the enabling social and physical infrastructure environments to catalyze entrepreneurial development (with special focus for women) in the rural areas.

Key words: Entrepreneurial development, women farmers, rural entrepreneurial challenges, Nasarawa State