Women’s participation in locust beans processing in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed women’s participation in locust beans processing in Ede North Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria. A two-stage sampling procedure was used to select 120 women locust beans processors for the study. Primary data were collected with the aid of well- structured interview schedule and subjected to frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The results reveal that the mean age of the women locust beans processors was 50.7±10.2 years. Majority (62.5%) were married. Majority (95.0%) had locust beans processing as their primary occupation. All (100%) did not come in contact with the extension agents once or twice in production year. Sourcing of raw materials (x̅=3.79) ranked 1st of all the processing activities followed by measurement of raw materials (x̅=3.78). Majority (83.3%) of the women locust beans processors were at a medium level of participation in the study area. The major constraints to participation in locust beans processing were scarcity and high cost of firewood (x̅ =3.78) and increasing cost of locust beans seeds (x̅=3.77). The study concluded that there was medium level of participation in locust beans processing in the study area. The study recommended that extension agents should be visiting the women locust beans processors and that governmental and non-governmental agricultural agencies should disseminate improved/modern methods of locust beans processing to the women locust beans processors in the study area.