S.E. OKUNDAYE

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.

This study examined post-harvest losses in cassava production and their impact on food security among cassava farmers in Etsako East, Edo State. Primary data were collected from 100 randomly selected cassava farmers using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The socio-economic characteristics revealed
that respondents were predominantly middle-aged, married, and experienced small-scale farmers with a mean annual income of ₦505,625. Results showed that major factors influencing post- harvest losses included mechanical damage during handling, unfavourable climatic conditions, lack of transportation, irregular market days, pest and disease attacks, and poor storage facilities. Food insecurity indicators revealed that households frequently reduced meal quantity, skipped meals, or borrowed food due to shortages, indicating moderate levels of food insecurity. Strategies used to combat food insecurity included reliance on cooperatives, selling farm produce, seeking assistance from relatives or NGOs, and engaging in off-farm jobs. The binary logistic
regression revealed that age, sex, education, household size, farming experience, farm size, cooperative membership, annual income, and access to extension services significantly influenced food security status (p < 0.05). The study concludes that post-harvest losses significantly undermine both income and food availability, thereby contributing to household food insecurity in the area. It recommends investment in improved storage facilities, timely processing technologies, better road and market infrastructure, and strengthened extension services to reduce losses and enhance food security among cassava farmers.