Access to Natural Livelihood Assets and the Sustainability of Women Farmers in Biliri LGA, Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract

Women farmers in northern Nigeria depend heavily on natural livelihood assets such as land, water, and forest resources for their farming activities, yet persistent social and institutional barriers continue to limit their effective access to, and benefit from these assets, thereby threatening the sustainability of their livelihoods. This study examined women farmers’ access to natural livelihood assets in Biliri Local Government Area (LGA), Gombe State, Nigeria, and assessed how such access shapes sustainable farming practices. A cross-sectional research design was adopted, using a structured questionnaire administered to a multi-stage sample of women farmers. A total of 323 valid responses were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and mean scores) and multiple regression analysis. The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, which emphasises natural capital as a determinant of livelihood outcomes within a context of social and institutional structures, guided the study. Findings showed that access to land and water resources was the most consistent predictor of sustainable farming Practices among the natural assets examined, while restrictive cultural norms and financial constraints emerged as the most influential barriers limiting women’s access relative to other social and institutional challenges. The study concludes that the sustainability of women farmers’ livelihoods in Biliri LGA is substantially shaped by both the extent of their access to natural assets and the social structures that mediate such access. It recommends targeted improvements in land and water access, alongside deliberate action to address the cultural and financial barriers that most undermine women farmers’ livelihoods.