Most recently, the role of women in the development of agriculture and other sectors of the Nigerian
economy have been acknowledged and recorded. Women contribute significantly in agriculture, rural
development and biodiversity conservation. Women are known to produce up to 60% of the food consumed
by the backbone of subsistence agriculture in the developing countries. The rural women are the principal
actors in pre-and-post-harvest food processes as processors, preservers, preparers and distributors [26].
Women also engage in animal husbandry involving keeping and tending of small ruminants (sheep and goats)
and poultry to supplement family income and nutrition. Among the pastoral Fulani in Nigeria, women tend
calves, milk cows, process milk and prepare milk products for sale as well as for consumption. Despite the
significant contributions of women to agricultural development in Nigeria as enunciated above, the impact of
the HIV/AIDS epidemic on farm women have not been empirically investigated or documented. The primary
objective of this study was to examine and determine the impact of HIV/AIDS on farm women in Nigeria with
particular reference to Enugu State. Multi-stage and purposive sampling methodologies were employed in the
selection of farm families/households including (women) persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) and
(women) persons affected with HIV/AIDS (PABA) for the study. Sixty (60) farm women/PLWHAs/PABA and
sixty (60) uninfected farm women/households were purposively sampled for the study. The results of the study
showed that the impact of HIV/AIDS on the farm women and their households were significant. These were with
respect to loss of feminine agricultural labour supply, reduced household income, reduced agricultural
production, increased family burden as well as loss of family assets and the women’s right, among others. It
was recommended that there is the need for a gender-based paradigm to agricultural and rural development in
Nigeria in view of the fact that women are at the centre stage of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Nigeria.