Women farmers' participation in household food security and nutrition programme in Oyo state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the participation of women farmers in Household Food Security and Nutrition programme in Oyo State. Specifically, the study determined women farmers' participation in various activities of the food security and nutrition programme. It determined the relationship between women farmers' socio-economic characteristics and their participation in programme activities and also the relationship between the nutritional status of children in the households and the participation of women in programme activities. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select 210 women farmers from six Local Government Areas covered by the Household Food Security and Nutrition (HFSN) programme. Pre-tested and validated structured interview schedule was used to obtain information from the women while assessment of the nutritional status of infants was done by means of nutritional anthropometry measurement. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the analysis showed that majority of the women farmers participated in the programme planning, problem identification, prioritization and planning as well as implementation stages. However fewer women took part in the evaluation of the various projects of the programme. Years of schooling (r=0.557), annual income (r=0.395), membership of socio-organization (r=0.395), external orientation (r=0.489) and household food security status (r=0.258) of the women were found to have positive and significant relationships with the participation of women farmers in programme activities. Also, weight-for-age (WAZ) and height–for-age (HAZ) indices of the nutritional status of children had positive and significant relationship with the participation of women in programme activities.

Keywords: women participation; nutritional status; women farmers; household food security

Moor Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 5(2) 2004: 171-179