Effects of Male Labour Rural to Urban Migration on Women Farmers Left-behind in Imo State Nigeria

Abstract

Migration from rural to urban areas is increasingly becoming an important livelihood strategy. People, including agricultural and farm workers move in search of better life or pay. This exodus is not without its challenges and associated problems on people and even food security. This study assesses a much neglected aspect of migration studies – that is on women farmers whose husbands leave home to look for more money and economic opportunities. The study seeks to find out the reasons for migration to urban areas; effects of such male movement on women left behind, the coping strategies used by these women to survive their husband's absence. The study interviewed 120 rural women farmers, whose husbands are not at home in search of better payment. Majority of the women met are in their early 50s and sixties (More than 50%). They have small land area for farming 0.25 – 1 hectare as indicted by 77.5% of the respondents. The reasons cited for migrating to urban areas or vice versa include rural poverty (100%), risky nature of crop production, rural unemployment, land shortages, poor infrastructure, low crop productivity and others. This exodus has effects on women farmers left behind as it has increased the workload or burden of the women, changes in traditional tasks, adjustments in family roles, declining agricultural productivity and over absence of proper child care. To cope, the women depend on remittances from their husbands, frequent communication, sending their children to live with relatives and many others. To improve the status of these women, education, training and access to production resources such as land be granted the women by governments at all levels.