Factors Associated with Women involvement in Yam Processing in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined factors associated with women involvement in yam processing in Benue state. Questionnaire was administered to 80 yam processors. Data were analyzed using simple percentages and multiple regression analysis. The result revealed that 31.25% of the respondents had household size of 13 people and above, majority (73.75%) are married and about 38% are in their active years. The study also revealed that majority (95%) had one form of education or the other; only about 30% of the respondents are highly involved in yam processing. The major constraints that hindered respondents in processing of yam were loan acquisition, increased in price of petrol as a result of epileptic electric power supply. Regression analysis revealed that household size, personal income, storage cost and quantity of yam processed had estimated regression coefficients of 5428.49, 4437.363, 2935.31 and 1147.680 respectively and had significant effect on yam processing. The study among other things recommended the provision of credit through organized association or cooperative, provision of soft loan to the processors and addressing the problem of epileptic power shortage.