ROLES OF WOMEN IN OIL PALM FRUIT PROCESSING IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed roles of women in the processing of oil palm fruit in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study described socio-economic characteristics of women palm fruit processors; identified processing methods and equipment used by them to process oil palm fruits; identified their roles in oil palm fruit processing; determined socio-economic factors that influence amount of income realized from palm fruit processing; and identified constraints faced by them in oil palm fruit processing. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 150 women processors. Data collected through use of structured questionnaire, were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression model. Results showed that mean age, household size and annual income from palm fruit processing of the respondents were 54 years, 7 persons and N127,985.71 respectively. Also, 64.0%, of them were married, with as much as 82.0% attaining diverse levels of formal education. Result also showed that 74.0% of the women used mortar and pestle in processing oil palm fruits. Results further showed that 80.0% and 68.0% of the women processors were involved in picking palm fruits from the bunch/threshing and carrying of palm fruit to processing site. Result of the multiple regression analysis using double-log functional form as lead equation posted R2 value of 0.710 and showed that education level, method of processing, membership of association, credit access, labour cost and price of product were significant determinants of income realized by women from palm fruit processing. Major problems constraining women processors were inadequate finance (82.0%) and credit facilities (72.0%). It was recommended that financial assistance should be given to women processors of palm fruit through loans from agricultural banks and other financial institutions. This should be done at low interest rates to encourage borrowing, which would lead to increase in income of women processors.