Impact of Transportation Burden on Agricultural Production among Women Farmers in Idanre, Nigeria

Abstract

Apart from the fact that women represent majority of rural agricultural smallholders in Nigeria, they are also responsible for head porterage transportation of agricultural products from farm sites to the barn, market and to their various houses. This study assessed the burden involved in transportation of agricultural products by rural women in Idanre L. G.A, Ondo State, Nigeria. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) Technique specifically transect walks was used to explore the minds of the respondents in order to assess the burden and time taken in the transportation o/• agricultural products by them. Five (5) different settlements were randoml.l' chosen ./br the study in the L.G.A. The result revealed that inaccessibility, bad road conditions, costs of transportation, subordinate nature and poverty are the reasons given by rural women for transporting agricultural products by head. Furthermore, lack of women's involvement in decision making on agricultural production was also identified as one oj the reasons for women's transportation burden of agricultural products. Some of the implications of the findings include: women should be part of decision making on agricultural production, conditions of rural roads should be improved upon and women should have equal access to agricultural resources like their men counterparts