DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGIES AND FOOD SECURITY STATUS OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/Keywords:
Smallholder farmers, livelihood diversification, socio-economic determinants, Akwa Ibom State, NigeriaAbstract
This study examined the influence of livelihood diversification on food security among smallholder farmers in the State. Specifically, it assessed the extent of involvement in livelihood diversification strategies, determined food security status and evaluated the effect of diversification on household food security. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 248 respondents, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed with Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Results revealed that farmers engaged in various livelihood strategies, with agro-processing (= 2.47), small-scale business (= 2.37), and livestock production (= 2.28) ranking highest. Overall, 47.18% of respondents had moderate diversification status. Food security analysis showed that only 35.89% of households were food secure. Logistic regression results (χ² = 21.17, p < 0.001; Nagelkerke R² = 0.542) indicated that greater involvement in livelihood diversification (β = 0.764, p = 0.010) significantly improved food security status. The study concludes that livelihood diversification enhances food access and income stability but remains constrained by inadequate credit, technology, and market access. It recommends that extension agencies intensify training on viable diversification options, the Ministry of Agriculture should strengthen food security interventions, and government–microfinance partnerships should improve access to affordable credit for smallholders.
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