Abstract

The role of women in agricultural production can never be over emphasised. If the problem of food insecurity is to be tamed, women entrepreneurs must be empowered to compete effectively with their male counterparts. The study analysed factors influencing women participation in agro-entrepreneurship in Kogi State, Nigeria. Three-stage sampling procedure was used to select 433 rural women. Structured questionnaire complimented with interview schedule was used for data collection. Information was garnered on agro-activities of rural women, level of participation in agro-entrepreneurship activities, factors influencing women participation in agro-entrepreneurship and constraints facing women agro-entrepreneur. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and mean) and Ordered Logit Regression Model. The result showed that the mean age and mean households of women agro-entrepreneurs were 46.3 and 10.0 years respectively. The main agro-entrepreneurship activities performed by woman were crop farming (97.2%) and poultry farming (55.7%). Also, 89.4% of rural women had low level of participation in agro-entrepreneurship activities. Age (?=-0.05), household size (?=0.03), farming experience (?=0.03) and membership of association (?=0.43) influenced women participation in agro-entrepreneurship activities. The major constraints facing women agro-entrepreneurship were limited access to resources (=2.65), insufficient funds (=2.53) and lack of access to infrastructure (=2.50). It is recommended that women should venture into other agro-entrepreneurship activities apart from farming for improved livelihood. Also, women should have the same access to incentives and other resources like men to boost their interest in agro-entrepreneurship.

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