ROLE OF WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR CONSTRAINTS: A CASE STUDY OF BILIRI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, GOMBE STATE

The study focused on role of women in agricultural development and their constraints in Biliri Local Government Area of Gombe State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select six villages from the LGA and 60 women farmers. Interview scheduled was used to obtain information from the women, on their socio-economic characteristics, farm activities, farm production and their constraints. Descriptive statistics was used to analyzed the data collected. The result revealed that 88% of the respondents age were within 20-49 years, 12% were 50-70 years of age; 80% were married including widows and divorces, 20% single; 75% had formal education, 25% had no formal education; 35% had 1-10 years farming experience, while 65% had 11-40 years. Majority (72%) of the respondents were small-scale farmers having 0.1-3.0 hectares of farmland for cultivation of food crops. Majority of the women acquired land for farming from their husbands and relations (freehold), while others hired land for farming. The respondents sources of income for farming were through cooperative society (33%) and previous farm out put (23%) only few (13%) were able to secure Bank loan, while others borrowed money from friends. The result also showed that women were involved in all farm activities from land clearing to harvesting, processing and marketing of produce. They plant different crops, rear animals and keep poultry. The women farmers’ constraints include mainly lack of land for farming, credit facilities, costly and late input delivery. Women farmers have contributed immensely, to food production, processing and preservation of foods. Serious attention should be paid to their constraints because women are the backbone of agricultural development and food security in Nigeria.