THE ROLE OF RURAL WOMEN FARMERS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF ONDO STATE:

A CASE STUDY OF ESE-ODO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          Women in Ese-Odo Local Government Area in Ondo State inspite of their daily roles to improve the existing standard are being looked down upon by their male counterpart as playing the second fiddle. A review of feminist literature indicate that there is now a demand for re-orientation of research and changes in methodological procedures used for complication of national income. There are at least three stands to this firstly; there is the issue that a considerable portion of women’s labour is not reflection in Ese-Odo Local Government statistics. This is a phenomenon due to the fact that the labour of the house wife is not traded and valued at market prices.

          Secondly, there is the formal versus informal sector issue. On a world wide basis, but more so in the developing countries of the world women constitute the greater percentage of the informal sector labour forces. Thirdly, there is the rural-urban dichotomy more of ten than not, women are left behind when there is male migration from rural to urban areas. These three issues are mutually self explanatory as women get left behind in the rural areas. They have limited opportunities for self improvement. They are therefore suitable mainly informal sector employment. Their labour as house wives, house maids etc is not accurately affected in nation statistics. Another relevant issue is that where women are in selection for religions or social reasons, enumerators who are more often men cannot meet the women to accurately appraise their labour input.

PURPOSE OF STUDY

          The objective of this paper is therefore to highlight the role of women in economic development of Ese-Odo Local Government Area in Ondo State with view to identifying attendant problem and suggesting possible solution.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS   

          The basic premise of this essay is that the non involvement or marginalization of women in development programmes is wasteful and impedes effective economic development. Its effect is similar to inadequate use of factor of production in agriculture which means that the production possibilities curve is lower than it should be on the basis of this premise, the problem associated with the involvement of women in the economic development of Ondo State and strategies of solving these problems are discussed.

SCOPE OF STUDY AND LIMITATION 

          The study focuses on economic development of rural women farmers in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State. Ondo State is made up of local government area. As a result of time and financial constrains book on social studies and geography of Ondo State which relate to economic contribution of women in Ondo State are consulted. Questionnaires are written, to take a random sampling of economic contribution of women in Ese Odo Local Government Area in Ondo State.

HYPOTHESIS

H1: Rural women farmers have significant economic contribution to the economic development of Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State. 

ORGANIZATION OF WORK

          The entire work I this project is divided into five chapters, chapter one is introduction, while chapter two review the literature of economic development, chapter three contain the methodological approach of the role of women in economic development in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State and the finding of what role women played which are not identified as economic development chapter four is discussion, while the last chapter of this project gives the summary of findings, conclusion and policy recommendations.