Gender Participation in Groundnut Value Chain among USAID Groundnut Up-scaling Project’s Participants and Non-Participating Households in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze gender participation in Groundnut Value Chain among USAID Groundnut Up-Scaling Projects, participating and non-participating households in Sokoto State, Nigeria. The study specifically focused on comparing the quantity of groundnut handled by males and females GVC actors and identifying factors influencing participation in GVC. Multistage sampling technique comprising purposive, random and proportionate sampling was employed to select households engaged in GVC within the five GUP PLGAs in the state. The study population consisted of 294 households that were actively engaged in the USAID-GUP, alongside additional households within the study area that were also GVC actors but not affiliated with the GUP. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data for the study and the analytical techniques include descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings reveal that females in both PLGAs and NPLGAs produced and sold fewer quantities of groundnuts compared to males and significant difference exists in quantities of groundnut produced and processed by the genders in PLGAs at P<0.01. Significant gender differences were also observed in the determinants of participation in USAID-GUP for males and females at P<0.01 and P<0.05 levels respectively. The study concludes that higher level education, larger household and farm sizes are significant determinants of gender participation and positively correlate with participation for both genders while older age and farming experience tend to decrease participation, particularly among women. Finally, the study recommends that tailored interventions should be developed to target specific groups more effectively.