SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF SMALL RUMINANT ANIMALS ON WOMEN’S LIVELIHOODS IN HADEJIA, JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPOWERMENT

Abstract

This study examines the socioeconomic impacts of small ruminant production on women's livelihoods in Hadejia, Nigeria, focusing on challenges and opportunities for empowerment. Using a cross-sectional survey of 120 women farmers selected through a two-stage sampling technique, the research highlights key findings: small ruminant rearing serves as a critical income source, with production practices dominated by small-scale operations and mixed herds of goats and sheep. Despite its economic significance, the sector faces constraints such as inadequate grazing land, feed shortages, limited veterinary services, and poor market access. The study reveals that women's participation is influenced by their education levels and marital status, with many adopting management practices combining traditional pastoralism with modernized systems, such as semi-intensive housing and purchased feed. Contributions of small ruminants extend beyond income generation to include food security, manure production, and household savings. Farmer-proposed solutions emphasize grazing land improvement, veterinary support, and breed enhancement. The study recommends targeted interventions, including capacity-building programs, gender-sensitive policies, and improved market linkages, to enhance productivity and women's empowerment. These measures, aligned with successful models from similar agro-pastoral systems, could significantly bolster the role of small ruminants in poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods in the study area by directly enhancing women's economic independence through increased income control, strengthening decision-making power over livestock management and household resources, and improving access to productive assets.