Determinants of Gender Contribution to Farm Income Decision Making Among Rural Farming Households in Enugu State, Nigeria

The study was designed to investigate the determinants of gender contribution to farm income decision making among rural farming households in Enugu State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Two objectives and one hypothesis guided the study. The sample comprised of 235 respondents and a researcher-developed questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. Data were analysed using multinomial logit model, participation index and chi-square test. The study found that the factors influencing the choice of income sources were sex, age, educational level, farm size, on-farm annual income and access to credit facilities. The participation index of gender in farm decision making showed that men dominated women with a mean score of 2.64 and 2.62 respectively. The result of the hypothesis showed that there was a significant and positive correlation between socio-economic characteristics of rural farmers and their choice of income sources. It was recommended that women should be empowered in agriculture as they are becoming a strong force in the agricultural sector, Young farmers should be encouraged to form youth forums on agriculture and attend seminars and workshops addressing current trends in agriculture.