AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKETING AND GENDER EMPOWERMENT: A CASE OF WOMEN’S CROSS BORDER TRADE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

The study examined agricultural produce marketing in relation to gender empowerment in cross border along Nigeria-Niger border with the aim of identifying the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, identifying characteristics of respondents’ cross border trade and the constraints faced by the respondents. One hundred respondents were selected with the use of systematic random technique. Primary data were collected from the respondents with the aid of interview guide structured in form of questionnaire and focus group discussion with other stakeholders like custom officials, as well as agriculture quarantine officers was performed. Univariate analysis like percentages, tables and pie charts and 3 point Likert scale were used to achieve the stated objectives. The study revealed that the respondents averagely made between N10,000 to N40,000 on monthly basis which helped in meeting family needs. About 78% indicated that one of their constraints was absence of modern financial institutions, inadequate storage facilities and about 82% signified that their major constraint was poor transport system while all affirmed that they experienced inadequate security among others. The study recommended that adequate security, global mass media facilities and adequate storage facilities should be provided to promote cross border trade.Produce marketing, Gender empowerment, Cross border trader, northern Nigeria, Labor and Human Capital, Marketing,

Integrated Urban Micro Farming Strategy Mitigation against Food Crises in Odeda Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria

The aim of this study is to evaluate integrated urban micro farming as complementary strategy for mitigating against food crises in Odeda Local Government Area in Ogun State Nigeria by describing the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents, examine their incidence of food crises, identify factors responsible for food insecurity and identify and describe integrated urban micro farming activities in the study area. Out of about 120 urban and peri-urban farmers who were involved in urban farming activities eighty (80) respondents were randomly selected Primary data were collected from the respondents with the aid of semi-structured questionnaire and interview- guide. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies and tables were used to achieve the stated objectives. The result shows that about 62% engage in integrated farming while majority (41%) of the respondents’ level of income is between N60,000 and N100,000 and 69% respondents indicated that their households’ size was between 6-10 persons. About 60% of the respondents experiences food crises. Also about 11% of the food crises in the study area were as a result of high rate of land lease for city development and 26% was as a result of inadequate credit facilities while the major (37%) cause resulted from rapid rural/urban migration. The study concluded that urban micro farming serves as buffer for provision of food to the ever growing teeming population in the cities It was therefore recommended that If micro integrated farming potential is to be exploited to the full, government, the municipalities and the private sector should be involved by making land available both within the city centres and the fringes. There should also be injection of micro loans for urban farmers and favourable policies about urban and peri-urban agriculture should evolve to aid food production

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKETING AND GENDER EMPOWERMENT: A CASE OF WOMEN’S CROSS BORDER TRADE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

The study examined agricultural produce marketing in relation to gender empowerment in cross border along Nigeria-Niger border with the aim of identifying the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, identifying characteristics of respondents’ cross border trade and the constraints faced by the respondents. One hundred respondents were selected with the use of systematic random technique. Primary data were collected from the respondents with the aid of interview guide structured in form of questionnaire and focus group discussion with other stakeholders like custom officials, as well as agriculture quarantine officers was performed. Univariate analysis like percentages, tables and pie charts and 3 point Likert scale were used to achieve the stated objectives. The study revealed that the respondents averagely made between N10,000 to N40,000 on monthly basis which helped in meeting family needs. About 78% indicated that one of their constraints was absence of modern financial institutions, inadequate storage facilities and about 82% signified that their major constraint was poor transport system while all affirmed that they experienced inadequate security among others. The study recommended that adequate security, global mass media facilities and adequate storage facilities should be provided to promote cross border trade