IMPACT OF URBAN HOUSEHOLD FARMING ON FOOD SECURITY IN KUJE AREA COUNCIL OF ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

urban household farming is an important source of food through the urban developing world and is a critical food security strategy for poor urban household. The challenge to this system of agriculture remains persistence poverty and rapid urbanization brought by significant poor and hungry people into the cities. Therefore, this study examines the impact of urban household farming on food security in kuje area council, FCT, Nigeria. The source of data for this study includes questionnaire, administration and field survey. The method of data analysis was descriptive statistics. The results revealed that production of food ranked the highest with 31.4% of the sample population, saving money ranked second with 29.2%, increased balanced diet ranked third with 25.4% and employment creation ranked the least with 14.0% of the sample population in the study area. This implies that the major role of urban household farming on farm security is food production which enhances food security. The study also reveal that the low density areas in the study area ranked the least in level of engagement of urban agriculture with 21.4% of the sample population, medium density areas ranked the highest with 53.7% and high density area ranked second with 24.9% of the sample population. This implies medium density areas were more engagement in urban agriculture in the study area because they have better assess to land and resources to farm. It is therefore recommended that there is need to integrate household farming into urban planning by establishing a greenbelt zone to halt urban development activities especially in cities like Abuja.