Determinants of Income Diversification among Famers in the Kano River Irrigation Project (KRIP), Nigeria

Abstract

Income diversification is examined in two ways: as a change in agricultural activity, or as an increase in the number of income sources. The primary source of income for rural Nigerian is agriculture. This study is conducted to access the level of income diversification among beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of Kano River irrigation Project. The result indicated that crop production account for 65% of the beneficiaries’ household income, with other agricultural activities accounting for 18% of the total. While non- agricultural activities account for only 18%. For the non-beneficiaries the result indicated that crop production accounts for 44% of their income other agricultural activities (Fishing, livestock, poultry,) account for 13%, while Non-agricultural activities account for 43 percent of their income. Income diversification is found to be influenced by (age, household size, cultivated area, educational attainment, credit constraints, and annual income. The results show that these elements need to be examined by decision makers in the development of agricultural and non-agricultural projects in this study area.