Nigerian mass media representation of women in agriculture and agribusiness: a case of status mis-conferral

Abstract

The study set out to examine the extent of the coverage given by the mass media to women in agriculture and agribusiness in view of statistics indicating that women constitute an overwhelming proportion of the people in that sector. Based in Nigeria, the study analysed the content of 282 stories on the agricultural pages of two selected national newspapers, 187 pictures illustrating some of the stories and 48 agricultural broadcasts from two radio stations. The study revealed that though in reality women formed about 80% of the labour force in agriculture, less than 20% of the people featured in mass media content on agriculture were women. In all sections of the agriculture sector, even in trading, women are portrayed as being in the minority. The study concluded that the mass media, in exact opposition to what obtained in reality, conferred on the men the status of the major operators in the agricultural sector and on women the status of the insignificant minority. In other words, the status of active role players rightfully deserved by women was given men and vice-versa, hence the term status misconferral. Advancing likely reasons for this, the paper proposes policy adjustments that could be made to correct the situation.