Gender Differentials in Food Output and Food Security in Anambra State Southeast Nigeria

The study assessed the quantity and value of food crop outputs of the gender categories in the Anambra state. At this research estimated the quantity and energy content of food stuffs consumed as well as required by each gender headed households, estimated the extent and magnitude of food security and insecurity in the area among the gender categories and examined the determinants of food security in the area among household categories. The samples were drawn from a stratified population which was divided into two gender-headed household categories so as to ensure a homogenous population. Data were collected using questionnaire and interview schedule from 3 communities which were selected using purposive sampling method. Two villages were selected from each of the communities. Ten respondents which comprises of 5 males and 5 females were randomly selected from each village, thus giving a sample size of 60 respondents (30males and 30females) used for the study. Data were analyzed with the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Logistic regression was used to correlate the food security status and socio-economic features of the various gender-headed households. The result shows that the male-headed households produced 5077.17 kg of food crops output as against the female-headed households’ 2733.27 kg. Also the male-headed households required 1183.50 kilocalories (Kcal) energy worth of food crops daily to be food secure but consumed 2246.90kcal. This implies that they are food secure since the Kcal consumed was greater than required. The female-headed households, on the other hand, required 1161.90kcal daily but consumed 684.72kcal. This implies that the female-headed households are less food secure than male-headed households in the state. Those factors found to affect the food security status of households in the area should be emphasized for effective policy intervention strategy. [Onyemauwa, N. E et al. Gender Differentials in Food Output and Food Security in Anambra State Southeast Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural Science, Research and Technology in Extension and Education Systems, 2013; 3(1):53-59]