Analysis of Factors Influencing Gender Roles Among Rice Farmers in Southern Agricultural Zone of Plateau State, Nigeria (Published)
The research focused on gender roles in rice farming in the Southern Agricultural Zone of Plateau State, Nigeria. The researcher used structured questionnaires to collect information on gender roles in rice farming. The researcher used the multi-stage sampling technique to select 109 male rice farmers and 92 female rice farmers, totaling 201 respondents for the study. The researcher used descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the research findings. The research findings revealed that rice farmers were at an appropriate age to participate in rice farming. On average, male rice farmers were 42.9 years old, while their female counterparts were on average 42.5 years old. Though the size of the households of both the male and the female rice farmers was almost similar, while the majority (56.0%) of the male rice farmers had a household size of 6-10 persons, the majority (52.2%) of the female rice farmers had a household size of 6-10 persons. However, the research findings showed that there was a significant difference in the level of educational attainment between the two sexes. While the majority (98.2%) of the male rice farmers had one form of education or another, the majority (91.3%) of the female rice farmers had one form of education or another. The average farm experience was 9-10 years for both males and females, while farm sizes were small with males cultivating larger sizes than female farmers (4.8 ha) compared to their female counterparts (2.6 ha). The result on annual income showed that male farmers earned significantly more than their female counterparts on average (₦976,792) compared to female farmers (₦753,260). More male farmers were in the highest income bracket compared to female farmers, where more were in the lowest bracket. Male rice farmers were always engaged in tilling/land preparation (x̄ = 2.60), ridging (x̄ = 2.53), herbicide application (x̄ = 2.03), pesticide application (x̄ = 2.17), harvesting (x̄ = 2.63), and milling (x̄ = 2.31). The results showed that men dominate in many of the physically demanding and mechanized tasks in rice production like fertilizer application 96.3%, milling 90.8%, and ridging 84.4%. On the other hand, majority (97.8%) of the female respondents were engaged in threshing, 81.5% in parboiling, and 93.5% also join in fertilizer application. The results revealed that male involvement in rice farming was significantly influenced by their marital status (β = -6.227; -3.436), age (β = 1.104), farming experience (β = 2.797), and income (β = 2.813; 1.085), while female involvement in rice farming was significantly influenced by household size (β = -1.991), education (β = -3.439), farming experience (β = 0.424), and income (β = 0.104), indicating a gender difference in socio-economic factors influencing their involvement in rice farming. The conclusion drawn was that there are disparities in terms of gender in relation to the use of resources, gender roles, and productivity in rice farming. It was recommended that there should be policy reforms aimed at strengthening land rights for women, gender-sensitive credit services, subsidized farming inputs, enhanced extension services, climate-smart practices, and cooperatives for rice farmers.
Keywords: Assessment, Factors, Gender roles., rice farming, rural farmers
Assessing Cybersecurity Awareness Among Farmers: A Survey-Based Analysis of Digital Access and Structural Barriers (Published)
The growing use of digital technologies in agriculture exposes farmers to increasing cybersecurity risks. This study assessed cybersecurity awareness among farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria, and examined factors associated with awareness levels. A cross sectional survey of 117 farmers was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Results show a moderate level of cybersecurity awareness (grand mean = 3.41). Farmers demonstrated stronger awareness of common cyber threats, particularly risks of sharing personal information online (mean = 4.07) and social media account compromise (mean = 3.94), but weaker knowledge of reporting cybercrime (mean = 2.57). Key challenges to safe digital participation include limited digital safety knowledge (mean = 2.47), poor internet connectivity (mean = 2.45), and irregular power supply (mean = 2.37). Chi square analysis indicated that awareness differed significantly across age groups (χ² = 26.19, p = 0.003). Multiple regression showed no statistically significant independent predictors. The findings highlight the need for practical digital safety training and improved rural digital infrastructure.
Keywords: Nigeria, cybersecurity awareness, digital access, rural farmers, structural barriers
Barriers to Contraceptive Use among Rural Farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria (Published)
The study ascertained the barriers to contraceptive use among rural farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Data obtained from one hundred and sixty rural farmers, using multi-stage sampling procedure, were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means and ranks. Results show that 51.3% of the respondents, with an average age of 40 years, were females and 73.1% were married; majority of the respondents (96.2%) had formal education with an average monthly income of N28, 500.50 and an average of 36 years of farming experience. Findings also show that the most utilized contraceptive methods by the rural farmers were barrier methods (condoms, diaphragm), hormonal contraceptives (pills) and abstinence; lack of information on effective use of contraceptives, perceived negative side effects of contraceptive use and lack of required skills for effective use of contraceptives were the most severe barriers to contraceptive use faced by the respondents. The State Government, Non-Governmental Organizations, Community-based organizations as well as other development agencies in Akwa Ibom State should organize enlightenment programmes on contraceptive use specifically targeted at rural areas of the State in order to help overcome the major barriers to contraceptive use faced by rural farmers in the State.
Keywords: Akwa Ibom State, Barriers, Contraceptive, rural farmers
EFFECT OF NATIONAL SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR FOOD SECURITY ON CASSAVA OUTPUT AMONG RURAL FARMERS IN CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA (Published)
This study was carried out to analyse the effect of National Special Programme for Food Security (NSPFS) on cassava output in among rural farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to ascertain the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents determine the effect of the programme on cassava output and identify the problems encountered by the beneficiaries. Data for the study were collected through structured questionnaire from the three agricultural zones in the state using multi-stage random sampling technique for the selection of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. A total of 203 respondents were used for the study. The tools used for data analyses included frequencies, percentages, means and paired t-test. The result indicated that most of the respondents were females and married. Most of them were between the ages of 31-40 years and had household size of 6-10 persons. Majority had secondary education and had annual income of less than N100, 000(one hundred thousand) naira. The paired t-test result indicated that the mean annual output of beneficiaries was higher and significantly different from that of the non-beneficiaries at 95% confidence level and late release of loan and inputs was rank first among other problems encountered by the beneficiaries. The study therefore recommended that NSPFS project site should be expanded to other communities across the state. Loan and other inputs from the NSPFS should be released early enough to the beneficiaries to effectively improve their productivity and enhance food security in the State.
Keywords: Cross River, NSPFS, Output, cassava, rural farmers