Gender Analysis of Cattle Farmers’ Participation in Cattle Production in Bauchi and Yobe States, Nigeria

Abstract

The study analyzed the participation of male and female cattle farmers in cattle production in Bauchi and Yobe States Nigeria. A snowball technique was used in selecting one hundred and twenty (120) sample of farmers comprising forty (40) males and twenty (20) females from each of Bauchi and Yobe States respectively. Data on socioeconomic characteristics and participation in cattle production were collected using an interview schedule between April and June of 2021. The results reveal that male and female cattle farmers in Bauchi and Yobe States were active producers with mean age in years of 48.9 (males), 42.3 (females), 44.4 (males) and 41.4 (females) in Bauchi and Yobe States respectively. Male farmers had more cattle (x=38 in Bauchi and `x=20 in Yobe) than their female counterparts (`x=6 in Bauchi and`x= 2 in Yobe). The majority of farmers (male = 95%, female = 100%, male = 65%, female = 80%) in Bauchi and Yobe States respectively had no contact with extension but all farmers (100%) had membership of cooperatives. Male (`x=11.18) and female (`x=11.25) cattle farmers in Yobe State participated in cattle production more than male (x=9.78) and female (x=8.00) cattle farmers in Bauchi State. Both male (x=0.00) and female (x=0.00) farmers in Bauchi and Yobe States did not participate at all in breeding and artificial insemination. There was a significant difference (t = 2.223, p ˂ 0.05) in participation of male and female cattle farmers in cattle production in Bauchi State. There was no significant difference (t = -0.104, p ˃ 0.05) in cattle production between male and female cattle farmers in Yobe State. There was no participation in highly technical activities like breeding and artificial insemination. It was recommended that cattle farmers should leverage their membership of cooperative societies in accessing adult education especially in cattle production, credits and extension services and seek training in breeding and artificial insemination.