The purpose of this study was to appraise women farmers’ participation in Agricultural Development Project (ADP) Programmes in Enugu State. Six research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted descriptive survey design. Structured questionnaire was developed and used for data collection, from a sample of 356 women farmers in Enugu State. The questionnaire was face validated and tested for reliability before use. Three hundred and fifty-six copies of the instrument were administered on the respondents, out of which three hundred and forty-two were completed and returned. The data collected were analyzed using mean, to answer the research questions, while analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test the hypothesis at 0.5 level of significant. The findings revealed that (i) the respondents agreed that women farmers participated actively in the following crop production programmes of ADP in Enugu State: seed multiplication programmes, radio programmes on crop production, among others. (ii) Also, women farmers participated actively in the following livestock production programmes of ADP in Enugu State: hybrids multiplication programmes, supplementary feed formulation programmes among others. (iii) women farmers participated in the following storage, processing and marketing programmes of ADP in Enugu State: garri processing programmes of ADP, Soya bean processing programmes of ADP among others. (iv) women farmers participated in the following pest and disease control programmes of ADP in Enugu State: Multiplication and distribution of pest resistant cassava programmes of ADP, Multiplication and distribution of disease resistant yam programmes, distribution and sales of agro-chemical programmes among others. (v) the respondents agreed, strongly on the following constraints to the women farmers’ participation in the programmes of ADP in Enugu State: marginalization of women in socio-cultural setting, lack of education among others. (vi) Finally it was agreed upon by the respondents that the following are the required measures for improving women farmers’ participation in the programmes of ADP in Enugu State:- stopping discrimination against women, provision of education for women among others. Hypothesis tested also revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean ratings of women farmers in Nsukka, Enugu and Awgu ADP Zones on the extent of their participation in ADP programmes.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the study
Agricultural production is an important activity of any country. In Nigeria, in the early sixties, agricultural exports, were primarily responsible for the gross domestic product growth of five percent per annum provided mainly by the employment of unused labour of men and women. (Onwubuya, 1987).
Women’s fundamental activities in agriculture are numerous. In Nigeria, as noted by Chole (1991), women play a particular important role in crop production, including land preparation, planting of crops, maintaining of crops, harvesting, transporting, processing, storing and marketing of produce. They are involved in animal husbandry activities. They feed and care for farm animals such as poultry, goats, pigs and rabbits they also process and market animal products.
Rural women provide sixty to eighty percent of agricultural labour and they participate in all aspects of production, Ukonze (2001). Buserup (1970) agreed that women also do transplanting and weeding work. The author also noted that women provide production inputs, organize labour and participate in the processing and sales of the crops.
Ogbonna (1989) stated that women also grow secondary crops in small fields near the major food and cash crops. The author went further to say that secondary crops such as bambara nut and groundnut are intercropped with stable cereals, roots and tubers. They balance soil nutrients, provide ground cover which improves water retention and erosion control and may help to reduce crop diseases and pests. Ogbuibe (1984) added that women’s concern with family food supplies sometimes leads them to cultivate some fields of early maturing grains. Women have important labour roles in animal production which vary according to type of production system (nomadic, Semi-nomadic, settled, extensive) (Hatem, 1983). In all types of animal production systems, women play predominant roles in processing particular milk by-products such as fermented milk, butter and fresh cheese. Dew (1981) pointed out that women commonly own small animals especially chickens, guinea fowls and goats but to a lesser extent, also sheep.
Processing of agricultural produce is traditionally women’s responsibility. In line with this, Buserup (1970) stated that women process secondary foods at home, providing for example, groundnut oil, palm oil, soap and garri, green leaves and vegetables, fruits, spices and roots are often processed into cheese products. They also process dried milk into fresh cheese or fermented milk. The women farmers also take care of marketing of these agricultural products in rural and urban market centers (Chole, 1991).
In order to encourage women in agricultural production, Women In Agriculture (WIA) was created as component of Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs). Agricultural Development projects are projects jointly sponsored by the Federal and state Governments in Co-operation with the world Bank, which provides both technical and financial support to the farmers. The ADPS are selected in the target communities. These farmers are referred to as contact farmers. Extension workers receive training on the specific innovations to be introduced to the farmers and after wards are sent to the contact farmers to educate them on the new agricultural practices. It is expected that the new practices will eventually spread among other farmers in the community.
Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme (ENADEP) is one of the new state ADPs that came into existence with the creation of Enugu State in August 1991. ENADEP was formerly established by an Edict dated 23rd December, 1991 and became functional in January, 1992. The broad objective of Enugu State Agricultural Development programme is to establish and organize a disciplined and well supported performance-oriented extension service capable of motivating the small holder farmers to adopt relevant technologies with a view to achieving significant increase in food production and income of farmers.
The Women In Agriculture (WIA) is a branch of Agricultural Development project (ADP). This WIA was established in 1989 in order to put into efficient use, the full potentials of the land worked by women, their capital investment, labour expenditure and other vital agricultural activities WIA programme was established in ADPs by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Home Economic Division in collaboration with the world Bank (ENADEP, 1995). This is to ensure that more female extension workers are employed to work with the women farmers who hitherto were not sufficiently being attended to by the male extension agents.
The emphasis is on the need to ensure that women farmers are adequately reached with extension services (improved technologies, labour saving equipment, inputs and credits) as regards crop and livestock production, storage, processing and marketing of agricultural produce.
WIA provides vital information to women farmers in relations to crop and livestock production. The information includes better varieties of crops, good management operations; inputs like improved planting materials, fertilizers, chemicals and loan procurement. The extension workers in WIA also provide the needed information regarding the better breeds of livestock, good management activities and balance ration formulation, pest and disease control. They provide improved planting materials which they sell to the women farmers to multiply in their different farms (ENADEP, 1985).
The WIA programme also provides information to women formers about new trends in agriculture, in crop, livestock production, pests and disease control, storage, processing, preservation and marketing of agricultural produce. They also organize workshops on farm demonstrations and the technologies involved in various stages of agricultural production. Specifically, the following areas are covered by WIA programme.

1. On – farm activities: Crops, livestock and forestry production.
2. Off-farm activities: Processing, storage, preservation and utilization and nutrition activities for the well-being of the family.
3. Food security: access to adequate food at all times by the majority of the people.
4. Others are: marketing, credit procurement, drudgery reduction and income generating activities. Emphasis is placed on production and related activities.

In a developing nation such as Nigeria, therefore, where agriculture represents the bedrock of development especially in the areas of employment generation, raw materials and food production, better information about women’s situation and their roles as well as their increased involvement in development planning and monitoring are needed. This calls for the need to investigate the women farmers’ participation in Agricultural Development project (ADP) Programmes in Enugu State. This would help agricultural policies, programmes and projects achieve greater agricultural productivity greater agricultural productivity and national food self-reliance.

1.2       Statement of the problem
For some years now, the various governments have made massive effort towards modernizing agriculture to transform traditional systems into modern systems of food production. Resources have been invested in different facets of agricultural enterprises in an attempt to improve the necessary input, distribution and marketing systems in order to realize increased yields. These efforts have been inevitable for cultural and practical reasons overwhelmingly directed at men and few women. Women are rarely involved and their participation not sought for. In most case, especially in rural areas, they are denied the right to full social equality and equal economic opportunity.
The attitude stems from ignorance of female roles in agriculture on the part of the agricultural policy planners and failure to appreciate and appraise the contributions of women in agricultural production. This lack of recognition and due incentive inevitably results in loss of interest in farming and non-acceptance of innovations on the part of women (ENADEP, 1985).
Women In Agriculture (WIA) was established as a component of ADP to ensure that women farmers are adequately catered for, through the provision of extension services and farm input. The WIA has been on for more than ten years now. However, the women farmers are still using un-improved varieties of planting materials, un-improved breeds of livestock, slow adoption of farm management practices, poor processing and storage practices. The overall result is therefore low agricultural productivity leading to low food supply in the state.
The need therefore arises to asses the participation of women farmers in ADP Programmes in Enugu State.

1.3       Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of the study was to appraise the women farmer’s participation in the Agricultural Development Project (ADP) programmes in Enugu State.
Specifically, the objectives of the study were to:

1. Determine the extent of women farmers’ participation in crop production programmes of ADP in Enugu State.
2. Determine the extent of women farmers’ participation in livestock production programmes of ADP.
3. Determine the extent of women farmers’ participation in agricultural processing, storage, and marketing progrmames of ADP.
4. Determine the extent of women farmers’ participation in disease and pest control programmes.
5. Identify the constraints to participation of women farmers in ADP programmes
6. Identify the measures for improving women farmers’ participation in the programmes of ADP.

1.4       Significance of the Study
The findings of this study will be useful to the various levels of governments: Federal, state and local; the ADP programmes in zones, women farmers and the generality of the public.
The study is considered to be significant because the data obtained from the study will be useful to Enugu State Agricultural Development project (ENADEPs). The findings of this study will help ENADEP to identify the capacity they have built in women farmers’ participation in ENADEP programmes. This will enable them to know the areas they will encourage the women farmers’ participation more, and the best ways to achieve more fruitful results in their programmes.
Moreover, the findings will enable ENADEP to find out the factors that hinder them from encouraging women farmers’ participation in ENADEP progrmmes properly, and the strategies to use for better results. The information provided could be used by ENADEP to improve their future activities on the participation of women farmers in crop production, livestock production, pest and disease control, storage, processing and marketing programmes of Enugu State ADP.
The data obtained from the study will be useful to Enugu State Government as a benchmark for planning and executing her agricultural development programmes as they relate to women farmers in the state. It will also enable them to design other action plan and polices that will further enhance agricultural productivity of the women farmers. The study will be significant to women farmers as it will enable the government to encourage the women farmers to increase their agricultural productivity through the provision of inputs (like loans, improved varieties of crops and breeds, fertilizer and chemicals etc.) to these farmers.
The date obtained from the study will also be significant to the general public. This is because, the study will not only stop at revealing the extent of participation of women farmers in ENADEP programmes, it will also suggest some useful measures to improve the participation of women farmers in crop production, livestock
production, pest and disease control, storage and processing and marketing programmes of Enugu State ADP. This will then lead to high food production for the consumption of the general public when the measures are implemented.

1.5       Research questions
The following research question will guide the study

1. What is the extent of participation of women farmers in crop production programmes of ADP in Enugu State?
2. What is the extent of participation of women farmers in livestock production programmes of ADP?
3. To what extent have the women farmers participated in agricultural processing, storage and marketing programmes of ADP?
4. What is the extent of participation of women farmers in pest and disease control programmes of ADP?
5. What are the constraints to the participation of women farmers in ADP programmes?
6. What are the measures for improving women farmers participation in the programmes of ADP.

1.6       Scope of the Study
The study will focus on women farmers’ participation in crop production, livestock production, pest and disease control, storage, processing and marketing of agricultural produce. Others include: constraints and measures for improving women farmers’ participation in the programmes of ADP in three (3) ADP operated zones (Nsukka, Enugu and Awgu zones) in Enugu State.
1.7       Research Hypothesis
The following null hypothesis which was tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study.
1.         There will be no significant difference in the mean ratings of women farmers in Nsukka, Enugu and Awgu ADP zones on the extent of their participation in ADP programmes.