Training Needs of Women Farmers - Implications for Rural Development in Kwara State of Nigeria

Abstract

The main purpose of the study is to determine the training needs of women farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling design was used to select one hundred and fifty women farmers. Data were obtained by the use of interview schedule and analysed using frequency, percentage, weighted mean score and chi-square. The result indicated that about two-thirds (66.0 per cent) of the women were between 40-59 years and majority (78.67 per cent) were Moslem. Also, high percentage (98.67 per cent) of them were married with 88.67 per cent having not less than 16 years farming experience and 72.67 per cent with no formal education. The result further showed that women farmers ranked the plant production as the highest priority for training followed by animal production, food processing is the third priority while bee keeping became the last priority for training. The lack of information ranked highest, followed by time as constraints to training. Chi-square result revealed that there was no significant relationship between training needs and age (X2 = 4.020, P = 0.251), farming experience (X2 = 3.018, P = 0.697), and religion (X2 = 1.661, P = 0.436) of these women farmers. The implication for rural development is that empowerment of women farmers through adequate training in all the aforementioned areas where women farmers indicated need for training is a predisposing factor to sustainable livelihoods.