The Role of Women in Farm, Household and Environmental Waste Management

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue VII, July 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

The Role of Women in Farm, Household and Environmental Waste Management

Atoma Charity Nwamaka, Awhareno Uyoyou Sidney, Amos Oyem & Akeni Tina
Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract
The agricultural practices engaged in by farmers have effect on the products, consumers and the environment. One of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals is to ensure environmental sustainability. Human survival demands that environmental consideration should be paramount in pursuit of development. Farm households and rural communities in their daily activities are major generators of wastes, in the form of manure, crop residues or mixed solid wastes. Organic farming technology is generally regarded as the solution to environmental problems that are related to agriculture and food safety. According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, women account for 75 percent of the farming population in Nigeria. Waste management is an important issue in any society and is still a challenge for local authorities in many parts of the world. Insufficient and inefficient management of wastes have direct impact on the environment, human health and livelihoods. This also affects social and economic development. Considering the large number of women involved in agriculture, assessing their role in farm and household waste management is essential. This paper therefore focused on Traditional waste management and new policies on waste management, traditional waste management strategies in Nigeria, challenges of traditional waste management the 7’Rs of waste management, the role of women in , farm , household and environmental waste management, the place of organic agriculture in waste management and gender inequality in waste management,. The paper recommended among others that gender issues are mainstreamed in all governance and decision making process related to waste management and there should be a synergy of government, waste managers, public health workers and households to implement a sustainable and reliable waste management practices in Nigeria. The various roles of women and recommendations presented in this paper can be of reference for scholars and stakeholders towards enhancing gender and sustainable development goals in Africa.

Keywords : women, waste management, Farm, household and Organic farming

INTRODUCTION

Wastes can be defined as the unwanted by-products of human activities. It is any unwanted material that is due for discarding. Abdullahi, (2011) described it technically as a resource in the wrong place A substance regarded as a waste to one individual, may be a resource to another. Therefore, a material can only be regarded as a waste when the owner labels it as such (Dijkema, , Reuter, & Verhoef, 2000). It is human activities that generates waste (Brunner and Rechberger, 2014) Vergara & Tchobanoglous (2012) reported that as population and purchasing power of people increases worldwide, more goods are produced to meet increasing demand, thereby leading to the production of more waste. Continuous flow of waste becomes hazardous to man, animals and the environment. It is on this note that Vergara & Tchobanoglous (2012) stated that proper planning and control is required in order to prevent the negative impact of waste on the environment.

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