MIGRATORY PATTERNS AND LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES OF FEMALE MIGRANT WORKERS IN RURAL AREAS OF ONDO WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Globalisation, harsh economy and insecurity are catalysts for most migrant workers in Nigeria. International and national migrant workers streams are increasingly dominated by females. Extant literature has focused largely on the livelihood activities and health concerns among male migrants in the urban areas, with little attention paid to the migratory patterns and livelihood of female migrant workers in the rural areas. This study, therefore, focused on the identification, determinants of the migratory patterns and livelihood activities of female migrant workers in rural areas of Ondo West Local Government Area, Ondo State. The Push-Pull Theory by Everett Lee and the Rural Livelihood System by Niehof and Price provided the framework, while the cross-sectional research design was adopted. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed. Ondo West Local Government Area (LGA) was purposively selected because of the large number of female migrant workers in its rural areas. Five political wards (Wards 2, 4, 5, 6, and 12) were randomly selected from the LGA, and six rural villages were randomly selected from each of the wards. A sample size of 1047 female migrant workers was chosen using Slovin’s sample size determination formula. A questionnaire was administered to obtain information on demographic characteristics, migratory process, livelihood activities, and problems facing female migrant workers in the rural areas. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Getis Ord Gi statistics, correlation and and t-Test at p≤0.05. Female migrant workers (30.3%) aged between 50 and 59 years, 74.8% were married, 39.1% had at least primary school education, while 39.3% did not possess formal education. Majority of the female migrant workers were from Osun (34.1%) and Oyo (16.0%) states. The female migrant workers were significantly clustered in space (z-value = 2.978). The reasons for migration among female workers included economy (49.8%) and marriage (24.0%), while 11.7% accompanied their parents. Livelihood activities included farming (58.8%), trading (14.5%), farm labour (7.9%), cottage processing (11.5%), lumbering (4.2%) and civil service (3.1%). These livelihood activities varied significantly among the thirty villages at t-value of 47.261. There was no significant variation between female migrant workers socio-demographic characteristics and their livelihood activities. Challenges faced by female migrant workers in pursuit of livelihoods included poor road network (30.9%), lack of access to funds (25.6%) and inadequate support from spouses (23.9%). Economic gains drive the migration of female workers to rural Ondo West Local Government Area with their livelihood activities clustered in a few settlements. Establishment of rural banks, which will provide access to funds in terms of loans and the establishment of developmental schemes and projects in rural areas will create more livelihood opportunities for female migrant workers.