Gender Differentials in Agripreneurship: Assessing the Impact of Agripreneurship on Household Food Security among Young Rural Agripreneurs in Southwest Nigeria

Year 2025, Volume: 35 Issue: 3, 428 - 447, 30.09.2025

Abdulrazaq Kamal Daudu , Sidiqat. A Aderinoye-abdulwahab , Halimah Egbewole

https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1622327

Abstract

The study identifies youth unemployment as a critical challenge linked to poverty and instability, while emphasizing its potential to become a catalyst for rural transformation through agribusiness. It investigates the influence agripreneurial activities on household food security among rural youths in Southwest Nigeria, comparing outcomes by gender. Using a multi-stage random sampling technique, 432 rural youth agripreneurs were surveyed between January and March 2021, and data were analyzed with descriptives, Simpson's diversity and food security indices. Food security was measured using modified international indices, including food consumption scores, dietary diversity, coping strategies, food insecurity access, and household food provisioning. Results indicate high levels of diversification, with 92.6% of males and 89.6% of females involved in various agribusiness activities. Male agripreneurs exhibited higher agripreneurial behaviour and food security levels, with a food security index of 0.6513 compared to 0.4993 for females. Significant gender differences in food security were observed. The study concludes that agripreneurship positively impacts food security for both genders but benefits males more. It recommends targeted agripreneurship training programs by government and NGOs to enhance youth skills, bridge the gender gap, and improve agribusiness performance in rural areas.

Keywords

Agripreneurship , Entrepreneurial behaviour , Gender , Index , Rural youth

References

• Adepoju, A. O., Yusuf, S. A., Omonona, B. T., & Okunmadewa, F. Y. (2011). Vulnerability profile of rural households in South-West Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Science, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v3n1p128
• African Development Bank. (2012). African economic outlook 2012. Retrieved from https://www.afdb.org/en/documents/document/african-economic-outlook-aeo-2012-99865
• Ahmed, U. I., Ying, L., Bashir, M. K., Abid, M., & Zulfiqar, F. (2017). Status and determinants of small farming households' food security and role of market access in enhancing food security in rural Pakistan. PloS One, 12(10), e0185466.
• Ajani, S. R. (2010). An assessment of dietary diversity in six Nigerian states. African Journal of Biomedical Research, 13, 161–167. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajbr/article/view/95212
• Altman, M., Hart, T. G. B., & Jacobs, P. T. (2009). Household food security status in South Africa. Agrekon, 48(4), 345–361. https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2009.9523831.
• Ayinla, R. A., Alao, O., Adesoji, S., & Olawuyi, S. O. (2024). Perceived effects of climate change on farm income: Insights from smallholder arable crops farmers in South-west Nigeria. Yuzuncu Yıl University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 34(4), 608–620. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1501494
• Baer-Nawrocka, A., & Sadowski, A. (2019). Food security and food self-sufficiency around the world:
• A typology of countries. PloS one, 14(3), e0213448.
• Birwa, S. L., Kushwaha, S., Lark, K., & Mena, L. K. (2014). Agripreneurship development as a tool to uplift agriculture. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 4(3).
• Campaña, J. C., Giménez-Nadal, J. I., & Molina, J. A. (2017). Differences between self-employed and employed mothers in balancing family and work responsibilities: Evidence from Latin American countries. MPRA Paper, 77964.
• Coates, A., Swindale, A., & Bilinsky, P. (2007). Household food insecurity access scale for measurement of food access: Indicator guide (v. 3). Washington, DC: Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13398-014-0173-7.2
• Dedehouanou, S. F., & McPeak, J. (2020). Diversify more or less? Household income generation
• strategies and food security in rural Nigeria. The Journal of Development Studies, 56(3), 560-577.
• Durand, J.-M. (2014). Lessons learned: Youth and land tenure. Land tenure toolkit. Rome: IFAD.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2010). The economic review of agriculture. Ministry of Agriculture. Nairobi, Kenya.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2011). The state of food and agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2012). Gender and nutrition: Issue paper (Draft). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2014). Youth and agriculture: Key challenges and concrete solutions. Retrieved from http://www.cta.int/images/youth_and_agriculture_web.pdf
• Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. (2012). GEM 2011 global report. Retrieved from http://www.gemconsortium.org
• Haile, F. (2016). Factors affecting women farmers’ participation in agricultural extension services for
• improving the production in rural district of Dendi West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia. International Journal of Agricultural Research, Sustainability, and Food Sufficiency, 3(4), 69-82.
• Ibrahim Forum. (2011). African agriculture: From meeting needs to creating wealth. London: Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Retrieved from https://mo.ibrahim.foundation/sites/default/files/2021-06/2011-ibrahim-forum_facts-figures.pdf
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). (2008). Validation of food frequency and dietary diversity as proxy indicators for household food security. Report submitted to WFP. Washington, DC: IFPRI.
• Lambrecht, I. B. (2016). “As a husband, I will love, lead, and provide”: Gendered access to land in Ghana. World Development Journal, 88, 188–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.07.018
• Lemke, S., & Bellows, A. C. (2015). Sustainable food systems, gender, and participation: Foregrounding
• women in the context of the right to adequate food and nutrition. In Gender, nutrition, and the human right to adequate food (pp. 254-340). Routledge.
• Maxwell, D., & Caldwell, R. (2008). The coping strategies index: A tool for rapid measurement of
• household food security and the impact of food aid programs in humanitarian emergencies (2nd ed.).
• Mayer, T., Moorti, S., & McCallum, J. K. (Eds.). (2019). The crisis of global youth unemployment. Routledge.
• Mba, C., Ezeh, C., Madu, I. A., & Emeribe, C. (2022). Assessment of climate variability and the determinants of rice productivity in Southeastern Nigeria. Yuzuncu Yıl University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 32(4), 805–824. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1132709
• Melgar-Quinonez, H. R., Zubieta, A. C., McNelly, B., Nteziyaremye, A., Gerardo, M. P. D., & Dunford, C. (2006). Household food security and food expenditure in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, and the Philippines. Journal of Nutrition, 136, 1431S–1437S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.5.1431S
• Mutea, E., Bottazzi, P., Jacobi, J., Kiteme, B., Speranza, C. I., & Rist, S. (2019). Livelihoods and food security among rural households in the North-Western Mount Kenya region. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 3, 98. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00098
• National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2020). Third quarter report 2020. Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abuja. Retrieved from http://www.nbs.gov.ng
• Nicklett, E. J., & Kadell, A. R. (2013). Fruit and vegetable intake among older adults: A scoping review. Maturitas, 75(3), 305–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2013.05.005
• Rajendran, S. (2012). Dietary diversity scores measurements. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/nfpcsp/topic-21-diet-diversity-stata
• Sahu, A. K., Chüzho, Z., & Das, S. (2017). Measuring household food security index for high hill tribal community of Nagaland, India. Journal of Food Security, 5, 155–161. https://doi.org/10.12691/jfs-5-5-1
• Sseguya, H. (2009). Impact of social capital on food security in South East Uganda. Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Paper 10747. Iowa State University. Iowa State University. http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd
• Suhiyini, I. A., John, K. M. K., & Yaw, B. O. (2019). Gender dimension of vulnerability to climate change and variability: Empirical evidence of smallholder farming households in Ghana. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 11(2), 195–214. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-10-2016-0156
• Swindale, A., & Bilinsky, P. (2006). Household dietary diversity score (HDDS) for measurement of household food access: Indicator guide (Version 2). Washington, DC: FHI360/FANTA.
• Swindale, A., & Bilinsky, P. (2010). Months of adequate household food provisioning (MAHFP) for measurement of household food access: Indicator guide (Version 4). Washington, DC: FHI 360/FANTA.
• Unite, C. (2013). Adopting agripreneurship education for Nigeria’s quest for food security in Vision 20: 2020. Greener Journal of Educational Research, 3(9). https://doi.org/10.15580/GJER.2013.9.180913848
• United States Agency for International Development (USAID). (2015). FFP indicators handbook Part 1: Indicators for baseline and final evaluation survey. Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance III Project (FANTA III).
• Vakili, M., Abedi, P., Sharifi, M., & Hosseini, M. (2013). Dietary diversity and its related factors among adolescents: A survey in Ahvaz-Iran. Global Journal of Health Science, 5(2), 181–186. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v5n2p181
• World Food Programme (WFP). (2008). Food consumption analysis: Calculation and use of the food consumption score in food security analysis. Rome. Retrieved from www.wfp.org/odan/senac
• World Bank. (2009). Africa development indicators 2008/2009: Youth employment in Africa: The potential, the problem, the promise. Washington, DC: The World Bank.
• World Bank. (2014). Health, nutrition, and population statistics database.
• Yumkella, K. K., et al. (Eds.). (2011). Agribusiness for Africa’s prosperity. Austria: UNIDO.