Benue State University, Makurdi

Women In The Informal Agricultural Sector in the Benue Valley

Okpeh O. Okpeh, Jr., Theresa Benson-Onaji, Edward I. Anzaku, Musa Umar Sankira & Christy E. Akogwu

Abstract

Women are the backbone of the informal agricultural economy in Africa. They constitute a labour force of about 60%; although there are statistical variations regarding this. World Bank established that Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda have about 40% of women in the agricultural sector. In the Benue Valley area, women engage in the production of cereals, tubers, vegetables, and livestock production, but often on a crude basis. This is the more reason why Anikpo, argues that in Africa "agriculture is characterized by low production and productivity and rudimentary agricultural techniques. This situation gives rise to insufficient agricultural growth, especially of food production, in the face of the rapid population growth and has resulted in serious food shortages and malnutrition in the continent". Sadly enough, Nigeria's agricultural sector is endowed with a huge expanse of fertile agricultural land, favourable climate, and a large active population that can sustain a highly productive and profitable agricultural production. Taking our study area, the Benue Valley, to buttress the above point is not out of place. This is because the area is dominated by plains and river valleys which have a significant effect on the fertility of the soil. There is a large deposit of alluvial soil from the numerous river tributaries. Added to favourable weather and climatic conditions, the Benue Valley is an area with a dense population largely dominated by minority ethnic nationalities.

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