Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Women’s Farming Activities on Some Selected Food Crops in Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on women's farming activities on some selected crops in Delta State. A multistage sampling procedure was used to randomly select 120 cassava and maize female farmers.

The major effect of COVID-19 on women’s farming activities identified in the study was a reduction in crops produced and sold =2.51). There was a -27.59% and -17.64% decrement in the output of cassava and maize respectively and an increase in the respondents’ income as the cassava farmers incurred a 28.7% increment in their income while the maize farmers had 28.5%. There was a significant difference in the income generated from cassava production (t=-3.54, p=0.00) and maize production (t=-2.83, p=0.01). It was concluded that the effects of COVID-19 on farming activities were a decrease in the quantity of crops produced and sold, huge cost of farm input, low profit from crops sold, increase in post-harvest loss due to lack of storage, high standard of living, high cost in labour, cost of production and farm input. Subsidy should be placed on farm inputs like fertilizers, seedlings, pesticides and herbicides to reduce the cost of production for the farmers and provide an avenue for the farmers to be able to make a profit from their farms