SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF FOOD SECURITY STATUS AMONG RURAL FARMING FAMILIES IN JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was designed to analyze the food security status among rural farming families in Jigawa state. Multistage sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of 184 respondents. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire with the help of well-trained enumerators. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression and food security index. Result revealed that rural farming families were predominantly male (71.7%) and most were married (79.9%), with one form of education or another (67.4%). The mean age for the households’ head was 42 years and the mean household size was 10 persons per household. The mean for farming experience and annual farm income of the respondents were 21.9 years and ₦ 32,238 respectively. Using the recommended calorie required approach the study revealed that 30.4% and 69.6% of the households were food secure and food insecure respectively. A Logit regression model made up of nine regressors was specified. Households size (P<0.01), farm size (P<0.05), farm income (P<0.1), educational level of the household head (P<0.01) and household head access to credit facilities (P<0.05), were found to determine the food security status of the farming families in the study area. The three most important challenges faced by the households were inadequate supply of farm inputs 41.8%, pests and diseases 20.1%, limited access to credits 18.5%. Based on the recommended energy level of 2, 900 Kilocalories per person per day it could be concluded that the study area is food insecure since a higher proportion of the sample households are food insecure.