ANALYSIS OF FACTORS INFLUENCING LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION AMONG SMALLHOLDER RICE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS OF JIGAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The study investigates livelihood diversification among flood prone smallholder rice farmers in Jigawa State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected using questionnaire administered to the rice farmers. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 293 respondents for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Beta regression model. The livelihood diversification activities mostly engaged by the farmers were arable farming (92.3%), livestock production (35.4%), and fish farming (20%), (30.8%) engaged in off-farm processing while about (50.6%) engaged in non-farm local services combined, the outcome further reveals that formal work and migrant wage services are the least preferred activities among the categories, with (16.8%) and (8.1%) respectively. The result of the beta regression analysis on factors influencing smallholder farmer’s vulnerability to flooding in the study area shows that age (P<0.01), livelihood economic activity (p<0.005) and access to transport were negatively significant p< 0.005) while extension contact services (p<0.001) and weather information was positive and significant (p<0.005). The study concludes that livelihood diversification activities engaged mostly by the respondents in the study areas is low, therefore it is recommended that Farmers should be encouraged to diversify more into other income generating activities to reduce the adverse effect of the flooding event.