Effects Of Development Partnership In Higher Education Project On Welfare Status Of Rural Women Processors In Oyo And Osun States, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Women are responsible for the bulk of agricultural processing activities in rural areas. Dearth

of effective processing facilities has limited their productivity, thus predisposing them to low

welfare status. Development Partnership in Higher Education (DELPHE) intervention sought

to enhance women processors‟ capacity, however, its effect on their welfare status is yet to be

ascertained. Therefore, the effects of DELPHE project on welfare status of rural women

processors in Oyo and Osun states were investigated.

A three-stage sampling procedure was used to select respondents for the study. Four and two

Local Government Areas (LGAs) from Osun and Oyo states, respectively where DELPHE

project was executed were purposively selected. Two participating and two non-participating

communities were randomly selected from each of the LGAs. Ninety six (Oyo) and 120

(Osun) beneficiaries were proportionately selected from the participating communities. Using

same structure for non-beneficiaries, registered processors from non-participating

communities were selected to give 32 (Oyo) and 56 (Osun) respondents. Structured interview

schedule was used to collect data on respondents‟ personal and enterprise characteristics,

knowledge of processing activities, participation in DELPHE project activities, benefits

derived, attitude of participants, constraints to processing activities and welfare status. Indices

of participation (0-18: 0-8 low, 9-18 high), benefits derived (Low 0-6, high 7-14), attitude

towards the project (Unfavourable 49-62, favourable 63-84 ) and welfare status ( Worse

₦750-₦5,836, better ₦5,837-₦16,500) were generated. Data were analysed using descriptive

statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression at

α0.05.

Respondents‟ age and household size were 43.9±12.0 years and 6.0±2.0 person, respectively.

Majority (87.0%) were married, while 52.7% of beneficiaries and 55.7% of non-beneficiaries

had primary education. More beneficiaries (63.4%) had high level of participation in project

UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY

3

activities, 65.7% highly benefitted from the project, while 56.7% had favourable attitude

towards the project. Weighted mean of most important benefits derived were skill acquisition

(0.84), enterprise expansion (0.78) and increase in yield (0.76). Most severe constraint to

beneficiaries on their processing activities was lack of credit facilities (0.60), while high cost

of processing equipment (1.54) was identified by non-beneficiaries. Welfare status of

beneficiaries (₦7,629.53±1,710.60) was higher than that of non-beneficiaries

(₦1,437.60±721.59). Welfare status of Osun state beneficiaries (₦8,719±0.33) was

significantly higher than Oyo (₦1,281±0.33). More beneficiaries (67.3%) in the better

welfare status derived higher benefits, while 41.9% in the worse welfare status had low

benefit. Determinants of welfare status for Osun beneficiaries were years of processing (β=

0.189) and income (β=0.123), while for non-beneficiaries were occupation (β=-0.847) and

household size (β=0.251). Determinants of welfare status among beneficiaries in Oyo were

years of processing experience (β=0.373) and income (β=-0.267), while for non-beneficiaries

were household size (β=0.123) and occupation (β= 0.847).

The Development Partnership in Higher Education improved welfare status of beneficiaries

from Oyo and Osun states. Income and years of processing experience were major

determinants of beneficiaries‟ welfare status in both states.

Keywords: DELPHE project, Beneficiaries‟ welfare status, rural women processors, rural