Factors influencing labour supply among rural women farmers in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analysed factors influencing labour supply among rural women in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State. Nigeria. The objectives were to; ascertain the socio- economic characteristics, examine the farming operations, determine the number of hours and days respondents supply labour in the farm during the peak farming season. Factors influencing the labour supply in the study area were also identified. A multistage random sampling and structured questionnaire were administered to 120 respondents. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that a higher proportion (31.8%) of the respondents were between the ages of 31-40 years, 53.64% were married, 45.46% had only primary education, 43.64% had farm size of 1-2 hectare while 37.27% rented the land they used for farming. Majority (59.09%) of the respondents had family size of 6-10 members, 87.27% of the respondents had income of less than N150,000 per annum. Family and hired labours were the major types of farm labour used in the study area. The study also showed that women were mostly involved in processing and weeding while less involved in tilling/ridging. Man days revealed that 71.89% spent 1- 5 hours in the farm while 80.91% spent 1- 5 days in a week. Wage rate, economic status and migration were the major factors influencing labour supply with wage rate significant at 99% confidence level. The study therefore recommended that to reduce cost, women should be granted access to land through inheritance and wage rate for farm labour should be increased to prevent rural-urban migration.