Economics of Environmental Sustainability in Nigeria: The Need for Women to Have A Say in It

Abstract

Evidence has shown that changes in the quantity and quality of renewable natural resources (RNRs) have some effects on the quality of life people enjoy while poverty alleviation programmes towards improvement in female livelihood in most developing countries have been a positive factor towards the preservation of renewable natural resources which are not only necessary but sufficient condition for environment sustainability. This then raise the questions if female poverty has negative relationship with environmental sustainability. The study tackled this assertion through analyzing the effect of socio-economic, demographic, institutions [actors in RNRs] management/degradation especially women. The study also quantified and valuate the actual relationships of RNRs to economic growth, poverty reduction and female influence using secondary and primary data from Nigeria with the help of ordinary least square (OLS), rotational correlation analysis and stepwise regression using aggregate yield index for selected crop. Grain equivalent was developed and regressed against poverty, arable and per farming population, female literacy, fertilizer use [Kg/ha], agricultural labour, female share of agriculture population and annual rainfall 1986-2004. The study found that female influence contributes negatively to environmental sustainability and improvement in female literacy rate is an important factor towards environmental sustainability in Nigeria. The study concluded that strategic actions needed for sound environmental management require a holistic, multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral approach hence women's participation and leadership are essential to every aspect of that approach.

Keywords: agriculture, environment, female, poverty alleviation, renewable natural resources