Economic research on women in rural development in northern Nigeria

IT ALSO SHOWS HOW THE RESULTS OF SUCH RESEARCH MAY AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT POLICIES ON THE ROLES AND ACTIVITIES OF WOMEN. THERE IS A GROWING INTEREST IN LDCS IN THE ECONOMIC ROLES OF WOMEN AND HOW THESE ROLES AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT POLICIES IN THE COUNTRY. PLANNERS EMPHASIZE WOMEN AS BENEFICIARIES RATHER THAN PARTICIPANTS IN DEVELOPING SCHEMES. THERE ARE MANY IMPEDIMENTS TO A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF WOMEN"S ROLES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE EXISTING SURVEYS ARE NOT ADEQUATE TO SHOW THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN AGRICULTURAL DECISION MAKING. SELF-EMPLOYED PERSONS OF EITHER SEX ARE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH IN PLANNING EXERCISES; THEIR WIDE VARIATIONS IN RETURNS, SKILL LEVELS, AND WORKING HOURS DO NOT LEND THEMSELVES TO GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT VALUE ADDED OR FULL EMPLOYMENT. THERE IS ALSO A LACK OF PRIOR EXPERIENCE AND LITERATURE IN THIS FIELD. THIS PROJECT INVOLVED SEVERAL CYCLES OF INTERVIEWS, THREE SETS OF QUESTIONNAIRES, PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION, AND LONGER, UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH SOME WOMEN. ONLY AT THIS LEVEL CAN DIFFERENCES CRITICAL TO THE PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT BE DISTINGUISHED.