LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGIES AND FOOD INSECURITY STATUS OF RURAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

Authors

  • Bayero Sule Gani, PhD Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, Taraba State University, Jalingo
  • Joseph Kayode Olayemi, PhD Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, Ibadan
  • Odjuvwuederhie Emmanuel Inoni, PhD Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, Delta State University, Abraka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj1901281G

Keywords:

Rural household, North eastern Nigeria, livelihood diversification strategies, food insecurity, dietary Allowance

Abstract

The study examined the effects of households livelihood diversification strategies on food insecurity in rural North eastern Nigeria. In order to realise the objectives of the study, primary data were obtained from 444 farmers with the aid of structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Tobit regression model, Cost of Calorie Function and ANOVA were used to analyse the data. The findings showed that farmers adopted five livelihood strategies of which Cropping, Poultry and Livestock Keeping (CPL) was predominant, accounting for 37.39% of respondents. However, 7.43% of the households practising Cropping, Fishing, Livestock keeping and Off-farm (CFLO) had the highest surplus and least shortfall indices of 0.75 and 0.20 respectively; implying that food secure households in this category exceeded daily RDA of 2250kcal of energy/adult equivalent/day by 75%; but food insecure households fell short of same by 20%. Head count ratio indicated that 58% and 42% of individuals in this category are food secure and food insecure respectively. Thus, a significant relationship between households food insecurity and livelihood diversification strategies is established.

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Published

2019-03-25

How to Cite

Sule Gani, B., Kayode Olayemi, J., & Emmanuel Inoni, O. (2019). LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGIES AND FOOD INSECURITY STATUS OF RURAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA. Economics of Agriculture, 66(1), 281–295. https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj1901281G