Global Approaches To Extension Practice (GAEP), Vol. 2, No. 1, 2006 21 ENTERPRISE CHARACTERISTICS AFFECTING RESOURCE POOR WOMEN FOOD VENDORS’ INCOME GENERATION IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA EDNA C. MATTHEWS-NJOKU*, C. C. ASIABAKA AND O.M. ADESOPE** Department of Agricultural Extension, Federal University of Technology, Owerri *dredna04@yahoo.co.uk **Email: omadesope@yahoo.co.uk ABSTRACT Food is an important basic need of life because it keeps the body system working well. Women have been known to be the major stakeholders in the provision of food. Food vending is a common practice among resource-poor women in Southeastern Nigeria. This study examines socio-economic characteristics affecting resource poor women food vendors and their income generation in Imo State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 109 respondents with the aid of structured questionnaire and interview schedule. The study found that low income earners dominate food vending venture, manpower involvement was not adequate, and there was less difficulty in managing the business. Problems identified by respondents included insufficient finance, indiscriminate demands for tax from government officials, high cost of foodstuff, levies from local government, illegal collectors of levies, difficulty in buying cooking fuel. Key words: Enterprise characteristics, resource poor women food vendors INTRODUCTION Food is a basic need of life and because of its importance man must eat to carry on with life’s activities. Depending on the type of job done by an individual, the quantity of food consumed varies. Food consumption also varies with the stature and genetic composition of an individual. For instance, Roediger, et al (1987) pointed out that endomorphs tended to be easy going, relaxed, sociable, and fond of good food and physical comfort. Because of the importance of food, an organization like the Agricultural Development Pprogramme (ADP) was established to increase food production and also raise the income of small scale farmers. One category of individuals who have made the provision of food a priority both to their immediate homes and the larger society is the women. Obinne (1998) found that a great majority of women participate in food production enterprise. Synder (1990) reported that women produce about 80 percent of the food in Africa, 60 percent of the food in Asia and the pacific and 40 percent of the food in Latin America. Osuntogun (1976) also reported that rural women make significant contributions to food production. In this regard Matthews-Njoku, et al (2001) observed that women are major stakeholders in the provision of food. The crucial contribution of women to peasant agriculture makes them an important subject of study and target of development (Onemolease, 2000). Conserve Africa Foundation (2004) puts it that in Africa, women have multiple roles, and have to respond to family, economic and social needs at the same time. They show imagination in doing so and are innovative and capable of developing activities within the framework of the social economy (commercial and non-commercial). Egbugara (1993) observed that Economic status has always been used as a measure to categorize male farmers, but more often than not, female farmers have been regarded as a homogeneous group who are only distinguished by gender. This is because rural female farmers are not statistically identified as an “economically active population”. As a result their productive economic roles are regarded as part of their domestic and reproductive role.