Analysis of the Socio-Economic Characteristics of Female Oil Palm Processors in Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluates the socio-economic characteristics of female oil palm processors in Ogo-oluwa Local Government area of Oyo State, Nigeria.It specifically identifies level of involvements of women processors, various technologies employed in processing palm oil and other palm products, constraints encountered by women processors while processing and effect of their socio economic characteristics on their outputs.. A multistage sampling technique was used to obtain primary data from 100 respondents using a well-structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics, such as frequency count, percentage, mean, 4 and 5 points Likert scale and inferential statistics such as chi-square and regression analysis. It was observed that 71% of the respondents were married with moderate household size. The major technology used by the respondents for processing are cooking drum and pounding machines. Lack of fund, transportation, inadequate technical training support and marketing are the common constraints encountered by the respondents. The result of inferential statistics revealed that there was a significant relationship (P≤0.01) between the respondents’ educational level and their technology use. The coefficient of age was in line with the a priori expectation that oil palm processing involves the use of energy. Also, the annual output of the respondents had significant effects on their income (P≤0.05). It was concluded more extension agents should be involved in disseminating information to the women to combat the effects of low educational status of the respondents. Therefore, the study recommended that access to extension services should be provided in order to increase the accessibility of quality information, encouragement of gender equality in the accessibility of technical support, provision of adequate funds or soft loan and government should subsidize oil palm processing machines.