ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF SHEABUTTER PROCESSING TO POVERTY REDUCTION AMONG WOMEN IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

Means of livelihood, existing processing techniques, output of sheabutter, level of income, and constraints hindering sheabutter processing by women in Kwara State were examined. Multi stage random sampling technique was used to select 180 women processors as respondents. Data were analysed using percentages and frequencies The results revealed that 47.8% of processors were between the ages of 30-39 years with an average of 35.5 years. Majority 92.7% of the respondents relied on sheabutter processing as means of livelihood.64.4% of the respondents use traditional method of processing while 83.9% produce between 1-25kg of sheabutter monthly with an average of 21.7kg/month. Similarly, the average income realised by the processor was N434 or $2.7 per day. This is higher than the critical poverty income level of US$1 reported by African Development Bank. Also inadequate supply of sheanuts (80.1%) and high cost of processing equipment(75.8%) were reported as most important constraints to sheabutter processing. It was concluded that sheabutter processing has the potential to remove the processors from vicious cycle of poverty thus allowing agricultural development and sustainability provided the constraints were adequately addressed.