s.b Mustapha - Department of Agricultural Extension Services, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
m.i abubakar - Department of Agricultural Extension and Economics, NAERLS, ABU Zaria, Nigeria
z Asindaya - Department of Agricultural Extension Services, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria
a Alkali - Department of Agricultural Technology, Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, Nigeria

This paper focuses on approaches that could be used to empower women through agribusiness entrepreneurship. Women in agri-business and related entrepreneurship ventures are household identities in Nigeria. Yet, empowerment of women in most Nigerian communities is often faced with social and cultural impediment which has hitherto contributed to retarding the economic development of Nigeria. The growing focus on women empowerment is a welcome development, but for women to be economically empowered, it must be with safeguards, alongside integrated interventions to address the structural barriers faced by women. Without this approach, evidence showed that apart from a few exceptional ones, the majority of the women may not be able to be empowered or benefit fully from the exercise. This paper attempts to develop women’s economic empowerment in agribusiness, explain its rationale and identified effective interventions for achieving it. The paper described the opportunities for women in agribusiness and highlighted the approaches to empower women in agribusiness in Nigeria. Fostering entrepreneurship development among women that ensures capacity building for diverse enterprises in agribusiness could empower the women. The paper concluded that towards this end, income would increase as a result of the empowerment and living standards of women will be improved which is also a requirement for human resource and economic development

Agribusiness, Approaches, Entrepreneurship, Empowerment, Interventions, Women