Relationship Between Income And Land Access Among Women Cassava Entrepreneurs In Southwest Nigeria

The study analysed the level of income among women cassava entrepreneurs in Southwest Nigeria, using Ogun and Ondo State as the focal study areas. Primary data were obtained through structured questionnaire from 300 women cassava farmers selected through multistage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics and Quantile Regression (QR) analysis were used to analyse the primary data obtained from the field. Results revealed that respondents had a mean age of 47.4 years old while 82.0% had at least primary school education. Also, 85.3% were married with a mean household size and farming experience of 5 persons 15.4years respectively, as well as mean farm size of 1.4ha and mean annual income (from cassava production) of ₦143, 602.00. The QR model results revealed that educational status (p<0.05), access to farmland (p<0.05) and labour cost (p<0.05) were the major factors that affected the income level of respondents in q25 category. While the major factors affecting income level of respondents in the q50 category were educational status (p<0.05), number of extension visits (p<0.05) and labour cost (p<0.05). Also, amount of credit obtained (p<0.05), number of extension visits (p<0.05) and farming experience (p<0.05) and access to land (p<0.10) were the major factors that affected the income levels of q50 category of respondents. The study recommended that improved income earnings would be enhanced among the women cassava entrepreneurs if the state governments introduce scheme that improves land ownership (among other factors) to encourage more women to have access to large cultivable land.