Authors: Zainab Alakayi Oladele, A.W. Ogidi, Sadi H. Yiga
Abstract: This study examines the role of women in rural development programmes in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The study examines the major roles performed by women, the strategies for enhancing their involvement in rural development programmes, and the challenges hindering their effective participation. Using a mixed-method survey design combining descriptive and explanatory approaches, 384 respondents were sampled from five wards using a multistage sampling technique, alongside 10 key informants purposively selected for interviews. The study is anchored on Structural Functionalist Theory. Findings show that women play a significant role in rural development, most notably through agricultural production and food security (40.6%), followed by community sanitation and environmental management (25.5%) and small-scale trading and income generation (22.9%), while community leadership and decision-making (10.9%) was the least reported role, reflecting women's limited representation in governance despite their strong economic contributions. The study further reveals that women's participation is significantly constrained by lack of access to finance (34.4%), low level of education and skills (21.9%), cultural and traditional practices (15.9%), poor government support (15.1%), and heavy household and family responsibilities (12.8%). To address these constraints, respondents identified increased access to credit and financial assistance (23.7%), provision of education and vocational training (21.9%), stronger government policies and support programmes (20.1%), greater community awareness and gender equality initiatives (17.7%), and increased involvement of women in community decision making (16.7%) as the most effective strategies for enhancing participation. The study concludes that while women are willing and active contributors to rural development, structural and institutional gaps continue to prevent their full integration into leadership and decision-making processes. Recommendations include expanding access to credit and financial services, strengthening educational and vocational training, enacting gender-responsive policies, and reducing women's domestic burden to ensure their meaningful representation beyond implementation roles.
