An Appraisal of Participation of Women in Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) Extension Delivery Programme

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) extension program on women farmers. Stratified random sampling technique was adopted to select respondents drawn from women farmers and officials ofKNARDA in the 3 zones coveredby the state (Rano, Danbatta and Gaya zones), andin the Headquarters in Kano city. Descriptive statistics and Chisquare were usedfor the analysis of data. The studyrevealed that a greaterpercentage of the women (90%) were married. Most of them attainedArabic education (62%). Non-literate womenare minimal(19%). Theyproduce cropssuch as carrot, tomatoes, spices (50%). Groundnuts, soyabeans , millet, cowpea (22%,). They keep sheep, Goat and local chickens (95%). Participates in non-form activities - soap, detergent, pomade production, sewing and knitting, farm produce processing (76%,). From the survey, it was observed that KNARDA has 90 female extension staff with 29, 30 and 31 female staff in Zones 2and3 resp1e,ctively. Thenumber ofwomen farmers coveredby these staff was observed to be 525 resulting in a ratio of 1 extension agent to 6 women farmers. But this is yet to improve the frequency of extension contacts with the women as the survey shows that the women rated the frequency of the extension contacts as inadequate (81%,). There was also a significant positive relationship between educational levels of women farmers and their participation in KNARDA programme, types of enterprise and participation in the program, frequency of extension contacts and participation of women in the program, and types of assistance preferred and participation in theprogram.

Keywords

• Appraisal
• Participation
• Rural Development