Japheth Lesley ENAKOYA

This study assessed the delivery of gender-responsive agricultural extension services to rural women cassava farmers in Esan West Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined the socio-economic characteristics of the women farmers, their awareness of and access to extension services, adoption of improved cassava practices, and challenges encountered in farming. A total of 100 rural women cassava farmers were selected using a purposive sampling and stratified sampling technique and data were collected through structured questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions, supplemented by secondary sources from literature and official reports. Findings revealed that 18.37% of respondents were less than 30 , 77.55% of respondents were within the age range 30-40, 4.08% of respondents were within the age range 40-50 ,with an average household size of 5.07% and average farming experience of (4.14%). While 35.7% were aware of extension services, only 29.59% had regular contact with extension agents. Key constraints identified included limited access to female extension personnel, credit facilities, farm equipment, and digital tools. Socio-economic factors such as age, education, and marital status significantly influenced access to extension services. The study recommends strengthening gender-responsive extension approaches, increasing the recruitment of female extension agents, improving access to credit and digital platforms, and implementing community-based participatory programs to enhance productivity and livelihoods of rural women cassava farmers.