Analysis of Agro-Processing Enterprise Performance Among Rural Women in Ondo State

This study analyses the performance of agro-processing enterprises operated by rural women in Ondo State, South West Nigeria. Agro-processing adds economic value to raw agricultural produce, reduces post-harvest losses, and generates income for rural women who constitute the majority of processors in Nigeria's food system. Ondo State's rich agricultural base in cocoa, cassava, and palm oil creates significant agro-processing opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the state. This study uses a survey design, collecting data from 190 women agro-processors in Owo, Akure South, and Idanre local government areas. Enterprise performance is assessed using gross margin, enterprise growth rate, employment generation, and market reach indicators. Regression analysis identifies determinants of performance variation. Findings reveal that palm oil processing generates the highest average gross margin among sampled enterprises, followed by garri production and palm kernel cracking. Enterprise performance is significantly associated with access to processing equipment, credit availability, and market linkage quality. Women with cooperative membership demonstrate 29 percent higher enterprise revenues than non-members. Capital constraints, energy costs, and seasonal raw material availability are the primary performance barriers. The study concludes that enterprise support including equipment access, credit, and cooperative linkage significantly improves women's agro-processing performance in Ondo State. It recommends gender-responsive agribusiness development programmes with equipment leasing components.

Keywords: agro-processing, women entrepreneurs, enterprise performance, Ondo State, rural livelihoods.