ASSESSMENT OF RURAL WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN LIVESTOCK (POULTRY) AGRIBUSINESS IN EGBEDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OYO STATE

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess rural women’s participation in poultry agribusiness in Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 120 respondents, and data were collected using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used alongside regression analysis to test the hypothesis. Findings revealed that 28.3% of respondents were within the age range of 31–40 years, 51.7% were married, and 47.5% attained tertiary education. Most households (68.3%) had between 1–5 members, while 43.3% of respondents had 6–10 years of poultry farming experience. Majority (89.2%) owned more than 301 birds. Additionally, 35.0% earned between ₦50,000–₦100,000 monthly. Feed milling and storage (mean = 1.97) ranked highest in women’s participation, while gender inclusion (mean = 1.86) was the most significant benefit. Conversely, climate change effects (mean = 1.90) were the leading constraint to participation. Regression results revealed significant relationships between women’s participation in poultry agribusiness and socioeconomic factors such as marital status (t = 2.441; p < 0.05), household size (t = 5.541; p < 0.05), and estimated monthly income (t = -2.833; p < 0.05). The study concluded that women’s participation in poultry agribusiness was generally low, despite its potential to reduce unemployment, enhance food security, and contribute to national economic development. It recommends the strengthening of women-focused cooperatives and the implementation of gender-sensitive extension programs to improve access to resources, technical skills, and business opportunities.