Gender-based differences in the utilization of agricultural information sources for rice production in Oyo State, Nigeria

Gender plays a crucial role in agricultural innovation decisions related to food production, and the source through which information is accessed is essential for meeting a nation's food demand. The female gender is important in the rice production value chain, and the roles they play should not be neglected due to gender differences. Data were collected through structured interview schedules from a sample of 145 registered rice farmers using multi-stage sampling techniques in local government areas (Atiba, Ido, Ona-Ara, Lagelu) in Oyo State, Nigeria. This study is subjected to Descriptive statistics and an independent sample T-test. The results showed that 65% of the farmers were male and 35% female. The result indicated that female farmers utilized friends, relatives, and radio more than their male counterparts as their primary source of receiving information on rice production. The T-test indicated no significant difference in the utilization of agricultural information sources between male and female farmers. There should be gender balance when designing and implementing programs by considering accessible sources of information to ensure equal accessibility and utilization of the information for rice production.