ABSTRACT

The study was on the analysis of women participation in food crop marketing in Abia State, Nigeria. The study has its objectives as [1J to describe the socioeconomics characteristics of the respondents [2] describe the type of crop marketed by the women [3] determine the factors that influence women participation in marketing of food crops in the study area [4] determine the net profit of the women in the enterprise. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed in the study first, two local government areas was selected from each of the agricultural zones, this was followed by the random selection of 20 respondents from the selected local government areas, bringing the total number of respondents to a 120 respondents. Descriptive statistics, net profit analysis and the profit model as used in analyzing the data collected by the use of a set of questionnaires administered on the respondents selected The results of the analysis showed that; the average age of the respondent was forty-two years, the mean household size was six person, the mean number of years of experience was six years, age, experience, output, source of capital and source of labour were the major determinants of women participation in the marketing of food crops in the study area, cassava, maize, water yam sweet potatoes and cocoyam were the major food crops marketed by the women, in the net profit analysis, it was observed that cassava gave the highest mean profit of N44, 000 while water yam gave the least mean profit of N14, 742.00. the study recommends that sources of income whether formal or informal should be made more accessible to women. This will enable them source for the required finds needed to support their businesses, and also output of agricultural crops should be encouraged This is because, a output increases, women will be encouraged to go into its marketing for more income for their upkeep and that of the families.