Empowerment needs of women farmers for enhanced food production capability in Kogi State, Nigeria

This study examined the empowerment needs of women farmers to enhance their food production capabilities in Kogi State, Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to select 160 respondents, and data were collected through interview schedules. The data were then analyzed using percentages, means, standard deviations, and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Results indicated that the mean age, farming experience, farm size, and annual income of respondents were 52.0±4.5 years, 14.0±5.5 years, 0.7±0.4 hectares, and ₦40,150±3.0, respectively. A majority (71.3%) had no formal education, 91.9% cultivated less than one acre, 88.1% sourced agricultural information from fellow farmers, and 92.5% were not affiliated with any women farmers’ association. Furthermore, 92.5% of the respondents reported low levels of production and output. Major gender-related constraints identified included limited access to farmland (181.7), inadequate farm finance (178.3), lack of extension visits to women (176.7), and insufficient access to labour (161.7). A significant negative relationship was found between gender-related challenges and food production (r = -0.624**, p < 0.001), indicating that these constraints had an adverse impact on production levels. The study recommends the formulation of targeted empowerment policies that enhance women’s access to land, formal capital, and agricultural extension services, thereby improving their food production capabilities.