Economic performance and profitability drivers of women Bambara nut farmers in Nigeria: Implications for women's economic development

Women play a significant role in food production in Nigeria, yet many remain concentrated in small-scale farming with limited economic returns. Despite growing interest in underutilized crops, empirical evidence on the profitability of Bambara nut production among women farmers and the factors influencing their economic performance remains limited. This study examines the economic performance of women Bambara nut farmers in Nigeria using profitability indicators and beta regression analysis. The findings indicate that Bambara nut production is economically viable, with variable costs accounting for the largest share of production expenses, particularly labor, agrochemicals, and seeds. The enterprise generated positive returns, indicating favorable profitability and economic performance among women farmers. The results further reveal that formal education, annual income, access to credit, extension services, fertilizer use, cooperative membership, farm size, and household size are positively associated with profitability, while high input costs are negatively associated. The study contributes to the literature on women’s agribusiness participation and underutilized crops by providing evidence on the profitability drivers of Bambara nut farming in Nigeria. The findings suggest that improving women farmers’ access to productive resources and institutional support could enhance the economic outcomes of Bambara nut production.