Analysis of Women’s Empowerment on Cassava Processing as a Means of Household Poverty Alleviation
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To identify the level of cassava produced by women in Delta state
- To find out the level of empowerment by government to women on cassava processing
- To find out whether cassava is the only means of household poverty alleviation
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The role of women in cassava processing
Women make a significant contribution to food production. They provide 60-80% of agricultural labour and are responsible for 80% of food production (Mgbada, 2002). Women play a central role in cassava production, harvesting, processing and marketing, contributing about 58 percent of the total agricultural labour in the Southwest, 67 percent in the Southeast and 58 percent in the central zones (FAO, 2004, Onyemauwa, 2012). Cassava is usually consumed in processed forms. The processing of cassava in Nigeria can be categorized into different capacity levels as cottage or household, micro, medium and large scale levels. The cottage level requires no labour but members of the household. The micro processing level requires one or two units of labour and the large scale requires three to 10 workers (FAO, 2004).
Perishability of cassava
Fresh cassava root is a highly perishable produce with a moisture content of about 70%. It has a shelf-life of about 2 to 3 days after harvesting (Emeokoma, 1994). Physiological changes occur rapidly after harvesting due to the high moisture content which leads to rot and decay (Emeokoma, 1994). The tubers therefore need to be processed promptly after harvesting once the tubers are removed from the soils. Post harvest losses reported is as high as 50% (Ndunguru, 1999). Poor post harvest handling practices have been known to contribute to this losses (Silayo et al., 2007). One of the ways of reducing cassava loss is through processing. Therefore, cassava must be processed into various forms in order to increase the shelf life of the products, facilitate transportation and marketing, reduce cyanide content and improve palatability. Processing reduces food losses and stabilizes seasonal fluctuations in the supply of the crop. Storage techniques that ensure longer shelf-life for cassava roots should also be looked into. In assessing the losses in processing of cassava to gari, an average loss of 6.1% occurred during the peeling stage in local centres and 4.7% at improved technology centres (Akosua and Bani, 2007). The grating process recorded average losses of 5.9% at both local and improved technology centers. The losses at the dewatering stage ranged from 3.0% for local and 5.6% for improved technology centres. The sifting process recorded losses of 4.3 and 5.4% for local and improved technology centres respectively. The total average loss in cassava processing into gari for local centres was 19.3% while that for improved technology centres 21.5%. A garification rate of 0.32 and 0.33 was established for local and improved technology centres respectively (Akosua and Bani, 2007). Mechanization, thus increased losses. New technologies should be designed to reduce wastages for maximum gain of processors.
Gender roles and cassava processing operations
Peeling and grating
Peeling is a unit operation mostly done by women and children manually using knives. The peeled roots are grated by women, using a simple traditional grater. Mechanical and automated peelers and power driven graters are new technologies which have been designed and fabricated to reduce drudgery in the peeling and grating process of cassava. Taiwo et al. (2001) reported in a study assessing the capacity and technology needs of gari processors that mechanical grating of peeled cassava tubers has been fully adopted. Olukunle and Jimoh (2012) evaluated the operational parameters of an automated peeler for cassava, the speed of the machine varied from 100 – 600 rpm. Results of tests of the peeler revealed that the throughput capacity ranged from 76 – 442 kg/h. For women to increase their productivity through the use of this equipment, awareness and training on these machines need to be carried out.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to analysis of women empowerment on cassava processing as a means of household poverty alleviation
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information the analysis of women empowerment on cassava processing as a means of household poverty alleviation. 200 selected farmers in selected local government in Delta state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain analysis of women empowerment on cassava processing as a means of household poverty alleviation
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of women empowerment on cassava processing as a means of household poverty alleviation
Summary
This study was on the analysis of women empowerment on cassava processing as a means of household poverty alleviation. Three objectives were raised which included: To identify the level of cassava produced by women in Delta state, to find out the level of empowerment by government to women on cassava processing and to find out whether cassava is the only means of household poverty alleviation. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 farmers in selected local government areas in Delta state were selected. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made male farmers, female farmers, youths and traders were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were made: Analysis of women empowerment on cassava processing as a means of household poverty alleviation: the level of cassava produced; forms and extent of cassava is utilized; and the extent to which the rural women farmers have gained economically from cassava production activities.
Recommendation
The government should make policies that will provide land for the rural women farmers so that their cassava production will improve and thus income. Voluntary organizations and the government of Delta State should provide subsidies that can enhance cassava production in the study area
References
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