Abstract

The Third National Fadama Development Programme (Fadama-III) aimed at the inclusion of rural women in recognition of their multiple and pivotal roles in household food, nutrition and health (HHFNH) security. However, constraints rooted in corruption and unethical practices could have limited achievement. This study therefore examined rural women?s perception of effectiveness of HHFNH technologies disseminated by Fadama-III Facilitators in Edo State. The sample comprised seventy five (75) women Fadama Users? Group (FUG) members drawn through a multistage process. Data were collected through the administration of a well structured interview schedule and analysed using descriptive statistics while Pearson?s correlation was used to test the hypotheses. Majority of the women were between 31 and 50 years (65.4%), married (74.7%) and family size of 9-12 persons (68.0%) and 48.0% had no formal education. Facilitators were perceived to be effective in dissemination of several on- and off-farm but more in on-farm technologies including those on storage ( X =3.60), pest and disease management ( X =3.57), harvesting ( X =3.53), HIV/AIDS awareness ( X =3.29), personal hygiene, water treatment ( X =3.28) and vegetable consumption ( X =3.28). Family size (r=0.234), cooperative membership (r=0.258), farming experience (r=0.170) and annual income (r=0.248) had significant relationships with perceived effectiveness of facilitators in technology dissemination at 5% level. Most of the serious constraints to optimising benefits were related to credit and other inputs access which are rooted in corruption and sharp practices such as short changing beneficiaries ( X =3.61), disbursement to non- farmers and fictitious Fadama Users? Groups ( X =3.61) and fraudulent group registration ( X =3.54). Continuous capacity building for facilitators and rural women and programme monitoring and supervision are recommended to optimize and sustain the benefits of Fadama-III users? group membership.

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