ROLE OF WOMEN IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION FOR RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

In Enugu State, women are actively involved in farming and agricultural activities, making their role indispensable in promoting sustainable agriculture and improving rural livelihoods. This study assesses the role of women in promoting sustainable agriculture for rural livelihoods in Enugu State, and its specific objectives are to: investigate the effect of government on women participation in promoting sustainable agriculture in the rural livelihoods of Enugu State; and determine the obstacles that women encounter while trying to engage in promoting sustainable agriculture in Enugu State's rural livelihoods. According to the study's literature analysis, Nigeria's government has been successfully integrating women into the agricultural sector through a number of its initiatives. However, the biggest issues facing women are limited access to markets and farm equipment. The study employed correctional data from 150 women farmers in two local governments of Enugu state, and it was analyzed by an ordered probit model. The main finding revealed that Government intervention has positive significant effect on women's participation in promoting sustainable agriculture in rural livelihoods of Enugu State; and Women do encounter significant obstacles in engaging in the promotion of sustainable agriculture in the rural livelihoods of Enugu State. The study concluded from the findings that Government intervention on women's participation and the obstacles that women encounter in promoting sustainable agriculture in rural livelihoods of Enugu State are positively significant to the Nigeria in general, while recommended that: Government of Enugu State should intensifies and expands its intervention programs to further encourage and support women's involvement in sustainable agriculture practices; and targeted measures should be implemented to remove or reduce these barriers, this includes improving access to land, credit facilities, education, and agricultural resources, as well as addressing socio-cultural norms that limit women's full participation.