Gender Analysis of Sustainable Agricultural Practices by Crop Farmers in Ondo State

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural practices describe the effort of farmers at protecting and enhancing the environment to preserve it for further exploitation. Therefore both men and women have important roles to play in preserving their environment. This paper analyzed the gender roles in the use of sustainable agricultural practices by crop farmers in Ondo State. A multi stage sampling method was used in selecting zones, blocks, cells and farmers for the study. An interview guide was used to obtain data from 320 crop farmers and stratified into 252 male and 60 female farmers. The results showed that 20 sustainable agricultural practices were identified by crop farmers in the study area. Both male and female farmers engaged in bush burning, crop rotation, bush fallow, composting and mulching. The results also revealed that there was high level of farming tasks performed by both males and females. Farmers’ attitude scores range from 27 - 135. Most of the respondents’ scores fell between the range of 65 and 112. Most of the farmers (male and female) had favorable attitude towards the use of sustainable agricultural practices. There was significant difference between the constraints to the use of sustainable agricultural practices by male and female crop farmers T-test analysis indicated that there was significant difference between male and female farmers use of the sustainable agricultural practices in the area of study (t=5.65; p=0.03). The policy implication of these findings is that there is a need to intensify extension efforts in order to integrate sustainable agricultural practices in to their farming systems which will reduce environmental degradation and promote sustainable environmental management. 

Keywords: Gender analysis, Environmental, Sustainable, Agricultural Practices, Nigeria