Level of Participation of Rural Women in Rice Processing in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Abstract

The study assess the level of participation of rural women in rice processing in Edu local Government Area of Kwara State. To achieved the study objectives, multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select125 respondents from five communities of Edu local government area. Descriptive statistics and Net Farm Income were used to analyze the data collected. The results showed that 67.2%of the women processors were in the active age range of 30-50years. The results also revealed that 78.4%, 64.0% and 56.0% of women processors did not participate in the harvesting, threshing and winnowing of rice in the study area. The results further revealed that 66.4%, 96.0%, 93.6% and 87.2% of the women processors were involved in storing., parboiling, drying and milling. The net farm income gave an estimate of 24,697.37/processors which confirmed the profitability of rice processing in the study area. The major problems encountered by the women rice processors were; lack of credit facilities, inadequate capital, bad storage facilities, inadequate means of transportation, poor electricity supply and inadequate technical advice on processing on processing. In order to give rural women in the study area a better comparative advantage and more profit, policy consideration should focus on provision of support services through provision of incentives for better processing technique that will facilitate the process of rice processing and better product with high market value and profit. Women rice processor should form local group membership to have a sound voice that will effectively champion there cause to have better access to farm inputs, credit address other barriers to enhance their role in rice processing