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Abstract

This study examined gender differences in the adoption of fertilizer among smallholder farmers in cocoa based farming system of Southwestern Nigeria. Specifically, it described the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers by gender; determined the rate of adoption of fertilizer; and analysed the factors affecting the rate of adoption of fertilizer. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 200 respondents, comprising 147 males and 53 females. Data were collected on socioeconomic characteristics such as age, household size, years of schooling, farm size access to credit, and fertilizer use among others. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and probit regression model. Descriptive statistics revealed significant difference between male and female farmers for age, years of formal education, years of farming experience, and farm size. The adoption rate of fertilizer was low with a significant difference between male (37.4%) and female (28.3%) farmers. The determinants of adoption of fertilizer by both male and female farmers were years of formal education, while there were gender specific variations. The significant determinants of fertilizer adoption among male farmers are age, farm size and access to credit while membership of an association was significant for female famers. It was concluded that strategies aimed at improving male farmer's adoption of fertilizer m consider age, farm size and access to credit, female targeted programmes should take membership of association into consideration. In general, considering the years of formal education of both male and female farmers will enhance fertilizer adoption in cocoa based farming systems.

Gender Divide in Irish Potato Production among Farming Households in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

“…Sheremenko & Magnan (2015) argue that male farmers are loss averse and opt to utilize fertilizer to avoid losses caused by adverse shocks. Kehinde et al (2016) also note that males have a higher fertilizer adoption rate than females.…”