Enhancing the role of women in crop production: A case study of Igbo women in Nigeria

Available reports indicate a shift in conventional gender roles in agricultural labor among the Igbo of Nigeria. This study shows that the participation of Igbo men in nonfarm activities and waged employment has resulted in an increased workload for women in food crop production as well as a breakdown of the gender division of labor in agriculture. Igbo women now undertake some of the conventional male agricultural tasks in addition to those in the female domain. In spite of this, women experience greater constraints in access to production resources. These issues should be addressed by appropriate policy measures.