INFLUENCE OF GENDER TIME ALLOCATION ON POVERTY STATUS OF RURAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDSINSOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Evidence has shown that Time Allocation (TA) to various activities by gender has implications for poverty status of households. Yet, there is little empirical evidence on the influence of TA on household poverty in rural Nigeria. Hence, the influence of gender TA on poverty status of rural farming households in Southwestern Nigeria (SWN) was investigated. Oyo and Osunstates were randomly selected from SWN. Two rural Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly chosen from each state. Five villages were randomly selected from each of the LGAs from which200out of 430 multi-personfarming households were randomly selected based on probability proportionate to population of farming households in each village. In each of the selected households, the eldest male and female (who were aged 18-60 years) were interviewed twice on their time use during the rainy and dry seasons. Data were collected on household socioeconomic characteristics and individual respondent’s hours allocated to different activities (farm work, non-farm work, housework and leisure) using structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Foster, Greer and Thorbeckeweighted poverty indices, Tobit, ordinary least squares and probit regressions at p=0.05. Mean age and years of schooling were 46.6±12.5and 5.4±4.6 years respectively for males and 41.8±12.8 and 4.3±3.5 years respectively for females. Mean household size and farm size were 5.0±2.1people and 2.3±1.2hectares respectively. During the Rainy Season (RS), average Farm Work Time (FWT), Non-Farm Work Time (NFWT), Housework Time (HT) and Leisure Time (LT) respectively for males were 7.6±0.6, 4.7±0.9, 4.5±1.7 and 7.2±0.1 hours daily. On the other hand, females allocated 6.2±0.7, 4.3±1.1, 8.2±1.6 and 5.4±0.2 hours daily. In Dry Season (DS), males allocated 6.3±0.6, 5.1±1.4, 4.4±0.9 and 8.2±0.1 hours daily, while those of their female counterparts were 5.1±0.6, 4.5±0.4, 9.2±1.6 and 5.3±0.1 hours daily. Males’ and females’ age significantly decreased their FWT by 0.04and 0.24and increased their HWT by 0.01and 0.04respectively during RS. Females’ years of schooling enhanced their NFWT by 0.04 during DS. Farm size significantly decreased males’ and females’ NFWT respectively by 0.05 and 0.02 during RS and 0.05and 0.01 during DS. At monthly poverty lines of N4,054.20 and N3,610.35 for RS and DS, 32.6% and 40.7% of the farming households were poor. Years of schooling of males and females respectively significantly lowered household poverty by 2.5% and 2.6% during RS and 9.5% and 11.1% during DS. The NFWT of males and females reduced household poverty by 0.5% and 0.6% during RS and 0.8% and 0.9% during DS.However, HWT of females increased poverty by 1.3% during RS and 1.9% in DS. Farming households’ time allocationdiffered by gender and season. Male respondents allocated more time to farm work, non-farm work and leisure, while their female counterparts allocated more time to housework during the rainy and dry seasons. Non-farm work time of males and females significantly reduced poverty at all times. The amount of time females allocated to housework aggravated poverty during rainy and dry seasons.