This study examined the specific ways rural women in Esanland contribute to household food
security. This study was prompted by the recent global food crisis. It was necessary to highlight
the contributions of rural women as it has suffered underestimation over the years. Interview
guide was used to elicit information from 230 women alongside In-Depth Interview and Focus
Group Discussion (FGDs).
The result of findings found that Esan rural women contribute to household food security by
farming mainly for the sufficiency of the family members. Accordingly, about 82% of them
engage in farming as a fulltime occupation. Another specific way they actualize this goal is by
practicing multi-cropping coming from the backdrop of limited land supply and need for variety
of available food. Result showed that 100% of them practice this.
Bad road was observed to be the main constraint to women’s farming activities in the various
communities; as they were very difficult to access even though they were not very far from the
local government headquarter.
Four hypotheses were formulated and tested using the chi-square analytical tool. The result
showed that husband’s occupation causes a decline in women’s motivation to continue farming.
It also showed that rural women’s access to larger plots of land increases their chances of farm
expansion. Furthermore, the result of hypotheses test showed that education affects women’s
preference for agriculture to other occupations. Finally, tested hypotheses showed that awareness
affects rural women’s use of modern technology in farming.
The study concluded that the Women-In-Agriculture representatives and the local government
should be vibrant in tackling rural women’s illiteracy and neglect by organizing technical and
extension programmes for them. Also, cassava was recommended to be employed in the
financial empowerment of the women.