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AI Summary of Peer-Reviewed Research

This page presents an AI-generated summary of a published research paper. The original authors did not write or review this article. [See full disclosure ↓]

Publishing process signals: STRONG — reflects the venue and review process. — venue and review process.

Gender roles in farming and trade differ by region in Nigeria

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Two African women in an outdoor market stall engage in a transaction involving fresh produce; one woman in a pink shirt and the other in a striped blue and white shirt stand among displays of colorful fruits and vegetables including oranges, tomatoes, and leafy greens under a wooden market shelter.
Research area:Agricultural and Biological SciencesGender StudiesGender, Labor, and Family Dynamics

What the study found

Men were more likely to farm, while women were more likely to work in retail and wholesale trade, but the pattern was not uniform across Nigeria. The study also found that households involved in farming spent the least, while households with wholesalers had significantly higher expenditures.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors say the study fills a gap in the literature by showing that gender disparities are not uniform and that subnational differences matter. The study suggests that understanding how activities are allocated by gender and region may help explain welfare differences.

What the researchers tested

The researchers examined gender participation in agricultural value chains in Nigeria using the most recent General Household Survey, covering more than 32,000 individuals. They estimated gender differences in participation with logit regression models and used instrumental variable estimation to account for unobserved factors, with household consumption expenditure used as a proxy for welfare.

What worked and what didn't

Being a woman was associated with a lower probability of farming, but with nearly double the likelihood of being in wholesale trade and about triple the likelihood of retail trade compared with being a man. Regional differences were important: in southern regions, women were more diversified across farming and trade than in the north. Farming households had the lowest spending, while households with wholesalers had significantly higher expenditures.

What to keep in mind

The summary is limited to the abstract, so no additional limitations are described there. The welfare measure used was household consumption expenditure, which the authors treated as a proxy for welfare.

Key points

  • Men dominated farming, while women dominated retail and wholesale trade overall.
  • Women had a lower probability of farming, but higher likelihoods of wholesale and retail participation than men.
  • Regional patterns differed: women were more diversified across farming and trade in southern Nigeria than in the north.
  • Households engaged in farming had the lowest spending, while households with wholesalers had higher expenditures.
  • The study used the General Household Survey and analyzed more than 32,000 individuals.

Disclosure

Research title:
Gender roles in farming and trade differ by region in Nigeria
Publication date:
2026-01-27
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0332100
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: AI provenance information is not available for this post.