Factors Limiting Rural Women Participation in Dairy Value Chain Activities in Zaria Local Government, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Abstract
This research aimed to evaluate the factors limiting rural women participation in dairy value chain activities in Zaria LGA of Kaduna State. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, 250 rural women were selected. Primary data were collected and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics to meet the research objectives. The findings indicated that the average ages of women who took part in the activity and the age of those who didn'twas 39.2 and 42.1, respectively. Participants in the dairy value chain tend to have more years of experience compared to non-participants. with an average of 15.6 years, while non-participants had an average of 10.7 years. Additionally, the majority—60.0% of participants and 25.0% of non-participants were members of cooperatives. Logit regression analysis identified educational level, farm size, and cooperative membership were significant at the 5% level, while contact with extension agents was significant at the 1% level, whereas, marital status and access to credit were significant at 10% level. In terms of perceptions, women generally held positive views regarding their participation in the dairy value chain. Most perception statements received mean scores of 2.5 or above. For instance, the perception that dairy farming has improved their income (3.00), the belief that participation had enhanced their skills (3.08) and their family’snutrition has improved due to dairy farming (3.00). The respondents' main challenges include limited access to credit (75.2%), lack of technical knowledge (66.0%), time constraints due to household responsibilities (60.8%) and limited access to markets (50.8%). Based on these findings, recommendations were made that financial institutions and government programs should develop tailored credit facilities that address the specific needs of rural women in the dairy value chain.
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Introduction
The dairy value chain in Nigeria is a vital component of the agricultural sector, significantly contributing to both the national economy and the livelihoods of rural communities. Nigeria'scattle population is estimated at over 20 million, making it one of the largest livestock producers in Africa (FAO, 2019). However, the country continues to import approximately 60% of its dairy needs due to inefficiencies within the local dairy value chain. This reliance stems from inefficiencies within the domestic dairy value chain, which is plagued by low productivity, inadequate infrastructure, and fragmented market systems. The dairy sector in Nigeria is predominantly characterized by smallholder farmers who utilize traditional methods for milk production (Olaitan et al., 2024a).
These methods, which are often low-yielding, result in average milk production rates of 1-2 liters per cowper day, significantly lower than the global average of 30 liters per cowper day (FAO, 2019). This low productivity is compounded by challenges such as poor animal husbandry practices, limited access to quality feed, and inadequate veterinary services. Additionally, the lack of cold chain infrastructure and processing facilities means that much of the milk produced is consumed locally or sold in an unprocessed form, preventing smallholders from accessing more lucrative, formal markets (Smith, Brown and Davis, 2023). As a result, the potential of the dairy sector to contribute to food security and economic growth remains largely untapped (Lai-Solarin et al., 2024).
Beyond its economic implications, the dairy value chain is also integral to the livelihoods of millions of rural Nigerians, particularly women. In many rural communities, women playa pivotal role in dairy production, engaging in activities such as milking, processing, and marketing of dairy products (Thompson, Martinez and Wong, 2023). Planning, policies, and programs must take this into account in order for a nation to develop efficiently and sustainably (Oladejo, Olawuyi and Anjorin, 2022). According to Thompson et al. (2023), women'scontribution to agricultural production in developing nations is therefore indisputable. Producing agricultural products is a labour-intensive and intricate operation. Women farmers are vital to the production and security of food in rural areas. Four out of every ten agricultural labourers globally are women, making up 70% of agricultural labourers, 80% of food producers, 100% of those who process staple foods, and 60 to 90% of those who market them (Smith et al., 2023; Sennuga et al., 2024a). This has led to a reevaluation of the significance of agriculture, with an emphasis on women'sparticipation in agricultural activities, as well as its impact on industrialization and significance for peaceful development, political stability, and economic stability. However, their participation in the dairy value chain is often hindered by a range of socio-economic barriers. For instance, women typically have limited access to essential resources such as land, credit, and modern technology, all of which are critical for enhancing productivity and scaling operations (Olowogbon, Yisa and Ogunbile, 2021). Furthermore, socio-cultural norms and gender-based discrimination frequently limit women’sdecision-making power within households and communities, further constraining their ability to fully engage in and benefit from dairy-related activities. Even worse, a number of traditions prohibit women from joining cooperative organizations, which makes it more challenging for them to access financial resources and income (Olawuyi and Rahji, 2019; Olaitan et al., 2024b). This exemplifies the outdated notion that women are not farmers and men are. The full participation of women in agricultural production is hampered by this circumstance. Another problem is the difficulty in acquiring technology tools for employment that produces more, which restricts women'sability to earn money and take up business ventures. It is extremely difficult for women to secure credit facilities because the majority of them lack assets and are unable to offer collateral security to be used towards the acquisition of this sophisticated apparatus (Smith et al., 2023). Their inability to assist in the accomplishment of more significant societal objectives stems from their need for assistance in obtaining the land required for automated farming. The majority of women in Nigeria'srural communities farm for subsistence (Odoh et al., 2024).
Although most women are not permitted to own a significant amount of landor to have any access to land at all, it is believed that men would be more successful or have more access to property (Iliyasu et al., 2023). Compared to men, women own less land overall, and the land they do own is typically smaller and less productive. Large-scale farming is out of the reach of women with knowledge and innovative ideas for agricultural production because of scarce or nonexistent land. Because of this, they work in small-scale farming and subsistence agriculture to support their family and make a pitiful living (Olowogbon et al., 2021). Women'sengagement in agriculture is decreasing despite Government’sefforts to make farming more profitable and appealing to them, as more and more of them move to cities in pursuit of well-paying jobs. Women'sinvolvement in the dairy value chain is influenced by a number of factors, including perceptions about agriculture, gender concerns, financial resources, and availability of land. In order to ensure self-reliance, food security, faster economic growth, and gender equality in the study area, Nigerian leaders and their development partners must come up with creative strategies for making agriculture appealing to women (Ameh et al., 2023). Unfortunately, information on these factors in Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna was poorly understood and documented. The knowledge that was lacking was filled in by this study, enabling decision-makers to better understand how to increase young involvement in agriculture. This study aims to evaluate the factors limiting rural women participation in dairy value chain activities in Zaria Local Government, Kaduna State. To accomplish this, the following objectives are put forward: a) Describe the socio-economic characteristics of the rural women in the study area. b) Determine the socio-economic determinants of women’sparticipation in the dairy value chain in the study area. c) Establish how women perceptions influence their participation in dairy value chain in the study area. d) Identify the constraints to women participation in dairy value chain in the study area.
Conclusion
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing rural women’sparticipation in the dairy value chain, focusing on socio-economic characteristics, determinants of participation, women’sperceptions of their involvement, and the constraints they face. The study reveals a complex interplay of factors that both enable and hinder women’sactive engagement in dairy farming, with significant implications for their economic empowerment and overall well-being. The socio-economic characteristics of the respondents showed clear distinctions between participants and non-participants in the dairy value chain. The respondents' socioeconomic characteristics demonstrated that the mean ages of participants and non-participants in the dairy value chain were 39.2 and 42.1 years, respectively. Participants generally had higher levels of education, with 40% having completed primary education compared to 50% of non-participants, and they also managed larger farms, with an average farm size of 2.3 hectares versus 1.2 hectares for non-participants. Additionally, participants were more likely to be members of agricultural cooperatives (60%) compared to non-participants (25%). These figures suggest that women who are better educated, possess larger landholdings, and have cooperative support are more likely to participate actively in dairy farming. On the other hand, non-participants tended to have smaller household sizes and lower levels of contact with extension agents, which may have limited their ability to engage in the dairy value chain.
The examination of socio-economic determinants through the Logit regression model identified several significant factors influencing women’sparticipation in the dairy value chain. Marital status, educational level, farm size, cooperative membership, access to credit and contact with extension agents were all statistically significant determinants. Specifically, educational level (coefficient = 0.20, p = 0.04), farm size (coefficient = 0.33, p = 0.02), and cooperative membership (coefficient = 0.64, p = 0.002) were significant at the 5% level, while contact with extension agents (coefficient = 0.71, p = 0.004) was significant at the 1% level, whereas, marital status (coefficient = 0.17, p = 0.06) and access to credit (coefficient = 0.26, p = 0.06) were significant at 10% level.
In terms of perceptions, women generally held positive views regarding their participation in the dairy value chain. Most perception statements received mean scores of 2.5 or above, indicating a favourable outlook on their involvement. For instance, the perception that dairy farming has improved their income had a mean score of 3.00, and the belief that participation had enhanced their skills scored 3.08. These positive perceptions suggest that women feel empowered and see tangible benefits from their involvement in dairy farming. However, there were also negative perceptions identified, with lower mean scores in areas such as workload management (mean score of 2.38) and income sufficiency (mean score of 2.25). These findings underscore the dual nature of women’sexperiences in dairy farming, where empowerment and economic benefits are tempered by practical challenges related to workload, income, and infrastructure.
The study also identified several key constraints to women’sparticipation in the dairy value chain. The most significant constraints were limited access to credit (reported by 75.2% of respondents), lack of technical knowledge (66.0%), time constraints due to household responsibilities (60.8%) and limited access to markets (50.8%). Other notable barriers included cultural barriers and gender norms (45.2%), lack of ownership of productive assets (38.0%), and limited decision-making power (32.8%). These constraints highlight systemic issues that limit women’sability to fully benefit from their participation in the dairy value chain. Addressing these barriers is essential for enhancing women’sinvolvement and ensuring that they can maximize the economic and social benefits of their work in dairy farming. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations have been put forward: i. Financial institutions and government programs should develop tailored credit facilities that address the specific needs of rural women in the dairy value chain. This could include offering low-interest loans, flexible repayment schedules, and providing financial literacy training to help women better manage their finances. Additionally, microfinance institutions could collaborate with cooperatives to ensure that women have access to group loans, which often come with lower collateral requirements and better terms. ii. To overcome market access difficulties, women should be supported informing or joining cooperatives that can collectively negotiate better prices and terms with buyers. Establishing market information systems that provide real-time data on prices and demand can help women make informed decisions about when and whereto sell their products. Additionally, creating direct links between producers and retailers or consumers through farmers' markets or online platforms can reduce reliance on middlemen and increase profits. iii. Continuous training and capacity-building programs are necessary to equip women with the skills required for successful dairy farming. Extension services should be expanded and tailored to address the specific challenges faced by women, such as low literacy levels and limited mobility. These services should also focus on business management, financial literacy, and the use of new technologies to improve productivity. Training sessions could be organized in collaboration with local cooperatives to ensure maximum participation. iv. Programs aimed at changing societal attitudes towards women’sroles in agriculture are essential for breaking down cultural barriers. These could include awareness campaigns and educational programs that promote gender equality and highlight the economic benefits of women’sparticipation in the dairy value chain. Engaging community leaders and male family members in these initiatives is crucial for fostering a supportive environment for women. v. Support mechanisms that help women balance their farming and household responsibilities are essential. This could involve the introduction of community-based childcare services, promoting the use of time-saving technologies, and encouraging a more equitable division of labor within households. Educational programs aimed at raising awareness about the importance of shared household responsibilities could also be beneficial.
