Abstract

The study assessed the contribution of leafy vegetable farming to the livelihood of women in Ikorodu Local Government of Lagos State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire and interview schedule were used to collect data from 99 respondents on socioeconomic characteristics, other livelihood activities engaged in, livelihoods status and constraints faced in urban vegetable farming. Data was analysed using means, percentages, standard deviation, Chi-square, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Linear regression at 5% level of significance. Findings reveal that the mean age of respondents was 46years, average farm size and income were 1acre and ?76,373, respectively. One-quarter(25.3%) of the women diversified into other sources of livelihood activities (such as petty trading, tailoring, hairdressing), although most (98.0%) engaged in vegetable production as their primary source of income. Most respondents were food secure (87.9%), while56.6% and 35.4% had access to educational services for their children and health services, respectively. Respondents had high livelihood status (60.6%). High cost of labour (x?=1.57), climatic factors (x?=1.33) and pests and disease (x?=1.29) were the severe constraints to urban vegetable farming. Respondents? educational status (r=0.23) was positively correlated with their livelihood status. Constraints (r=-0.37) faced by respondents was negatively correlated to their livelihood status. Age (?=-0.40), farming experience (?=0.45), and constraints (?=-0.34), were predictors of the livelihood status of the women in the study area. The study concluded that leafy vegetable farming contributed to the livelihood status of the women. Adult education should be encouraged as education helped the women to manage information on how to better their lives.

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