Agricultural and Biological Research

Rural energy needs of smallholder women farmers for improved farm productivity and rural business enterprises in abia state, Nigeria

Godson-Ibeji CC, Chikaire JU*, Ajaero JO and Markalbert US

The study investigated the energy needed by rural women farmers to improve their livelihood and agricultural production in Abia state. The specific objectives were to identify the energy needs, identify energy needs rural business enterprises; and to identify the energy sources available to the respondents in the study area; identify the effects of access to energy on women farmers. A purposive sampling technique was adopted in selecting 150 respondents. Data were collected by use of structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Simple descriptive statistics such as mean, percentage and frequency distribution and a 4-scale likert type scale were used to analyse the data. The result revealed that women in the study area need energy for many activities, both on farm and off farm and some of the areas include cooking, processing, storing, telecommunication, infrastructure and transportation and others. Increased productivity, high income generation, reduced stress, increased living conditions are some of the effects of access to energy have on rural women farmers. The women in the area have few energy sources on which they depend on to carry out their various activities and these sources include machines, electricity and human power. Based on the findings, recommendations were made on women being seen as great movers of agricultural production and should be allowed and assisted to have better access to energy sources just like their male counterparts.