Analysis of Food Security and Coping Strategies among Maize Based Farmers in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess food security among maize based farmers’ and their coping strategies in Niger State, Nigeria. To achieve this, 125 maize based farmers were randomly selected from two villages each from Paikoro, Shiroro and Bosso Local Government Areas of the state. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, food security index and the logit model analysis. The result revealed that 85.6% of the respondents were male and 93.6% of the respondents were married, mean age of the respondents was 44 years with only 3.2% between 21-30 years. Also the respondents in the study area were literate (76.0%), 76.0% of farmers owned the land they used for farming. Majority (72.0%) of the respondents used their own savings in financing farming activities; the mean household size was 7 persons. Furthermore, 77.6% did not have access to formal credit while 22.4% had access to credit. The result of their food security status shows that majority (64.8%) of the respondents were food secure while 35.2% were food insecure. The result of the logit analysis revealed that number of years spent in school, farming experience, annual income from farming and non-farming activities were significant and positively influenced the food security status of the farmers. Coping strategies adopted against food insecurity by the respondents were intercropping, participation in off-farm jobs, reduction in the quantity of meals eaten in a day. It was recommended that maize based farmers should use more modern technologies to increase production and more youth participation in order to remain food secured.