PIG FARMS OWNED BY WOMEN IN EDO- SOUTH (EDO STATE)

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to evaluate pig farms owned by women in Edo South. Information was obtained by structured questionnaires and on-the-farm observation. One hundred questionnaires were distributed on fifty randomly selected farms in five local government in Edo-south (Edo state.). The respondents included hundred (100) farmers. Observations of the socio-economic characteristics, management, disease management and constraint were noted. From the result of the study. Many of the farmers (55%) have over 2-3 years’ experience but most (90%) farms had less than 150-pig capacity and are able to employ only few staff. Pig production in Edo south is significantly affected by social, cultural and religious beliefs of the people and management practices adopted are still largely manual, labour intensive and mostly on small scale basis as pig in the study area is seriously affected by disease. There is therefore a critical need for the intervention of government and relevant stakeholders in terms of training, enlightenment, provision of inputs and other incentives in order to enhance the productivity of the pig production.