Assessment of the Risk Management Strategies among Arable Crop Farmers in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The increased incidences of farming risks have been a challenge among smallholder farmers in Nigeria. This study set out to assess risk management strategies among arable crop farmers in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. The proportion of risk in arable crop production and the factors that influence risk in arable crop production in the study area were specifically estimated. Primary data used for the study were collected with the aid of well-structured questionnaire from eighty-four farmers in the study area. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result revealed that majority of the arable crop farmers (52.4%) were females. The average age and household size were 54 years and 5 persons respectively. Educational level, age, farming experience, farm size, household size and farm income were the factors influencing the estimated output of the farmers due to the prevalence of risk in arable crop production. The study recommended the continuous education of arable crop farmers in the area so as to increase their capacity to deal with risk on their farms.