<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Economic recession often exacerbates the effects of poverty on agrarian communities in Nigeria. This paper examined the effects of economic recession on female farmers and coping strategies they employed. It explored the effects of the crisis on their income, farm size, livelihood and welfare aspects such as feeding, schooling of their children and health care. The study was conducted in Ondo State, Nigeria. Primary data were used. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to administer 100 copies of the questionnaires on females in rural agrarian households in the study area. The obtained data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Likert scale analysis. The findings showed that the economic recession resulted in poor health care, inadequate feeding, poor income and school dropouts. Major factors that helped the women to cope were land ownership security/access to land, introduction of new crops, marital status and educational status. These factors are crucial as their Chi-square values and Likelihood Ratios were significant at one percent probability level (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01). The research concludes that educated females as well as married women and women possessing secured land tenure coped better in times of economic crisis. The paper thus recommends increased investments by governments in the agricultural sector to help curtail the inflation in food prices and increasing women access to land and education.</p></abstract>

Economic recession often exacerbates the effects of poverty on agrarian communities in Nigeria. This paper examined the effects of economic recession on female farmers and coping strategies they employed. It explored the effects of the crisis on their income, farm size, livelihood and welfare aspects such as feeding, schooling of their children and health care. The study was conducted in Ondo State, Nigeria. Primary data were used. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to administer 100 copies of the questionnaires on females in rural agrarian households in the study area. The obtained data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Likert scale analysis. The findings showed that the economic recession resulted in poor health care, inadequate feeding, poor income and school dropouts. Major factors that helped the women to cope were land ownership security/access to land, introduction of new crops, marital status and educational status. These factors are crucial as their Chi-square values and Likelihood Ratios were significant at one percent probability level (P < 0.01). The research concludes that educated females as well as married women and women possessing secured land tenure coped better in times of economic crisis. The paper thus recommends increased investments by governments in the agricultural sector to help curtail the inflation in food prices and increasing women access to land and education.

Coping strategies among female farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria during recent economic recession: What factors matter?

Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension

Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Economic recession often exacerbates the effects of poverty on agrarian communities in Nigeria. This paper examined the effects of economic recession on female...

Coping strategies among female farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria during recent economic recession: What factors matter?

Published Online: Oct 08, 2020

Page range: 137 - 147

Received: Feb 15, 2019

Accepted: Sep 15, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ats-2020-0014

Keywords
agriculture, gender, education, land tenure, adaptation, welfare

© 2020 Mmaduabuchukwu Mkpado et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Coping strategies among female farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria during recent economic recession: What factors matter?

Published Online: Oct 08, 2020

Page range: 137 - 147

Received: Feb 15, 2019

Accepted: Sep 15, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ats-2020-0014

Keywordsagriculture, gender, education, land tenure, adaptation, welfare

© 2020 Mmaduabuchukwu Mkpado et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
agriculture, gender, education, land tenure, adaptation, welfare