SOCIO ECONOMIC DETERMINANT OF FOOD INSECURITY STATUS AMONG FARMING HOUSEHOLDS

ABSTRACT

Food Insecurity profiles varies across various geographical location of the Nigerian Population, therefore prompting the policy makers to take action on the impending challenges on the wellbeing of her citizen. This study, Analysis of food insecurity status among farming household in Iwo Agricultural Development Zone, Osun State, Nigeria. The primary data used for this study were obtained through a well-structured questionnaire which was aided with oral discussion with the respondents. The study general objective is to analyse the food insecurity status of the respondents in the study area. The study analysed the socio-economic characteristics of the respondent in the study area, the food insecurity status of the respondents, the determinants of food insecurity status of the respondents and the coping strategies used against food insecurity. A total of 99 respondents were randomly sampled from the study area.

The data collected were analysed by the use of descriptive statistical tools for the socio-economic characteristics and the coping strategies, while IFPRI,(2001) Food insecurity index was used to analyse the food insecurity status of the respondents in the study area. Probit regression analysis was used to analyse the determinant of food insecurity of the respondents in the study area. The result obtained revealed that majority of the respondents (33.33%) within the age range of 41-50 years, with the mean age of 49.55, which implies that they are in their active stage. 83% of the respondents were married, while 50.50% of the respondents achieved secondary education. 63.64% acquired their land through inheritance while others obtained theirs either by purchase, community land, lease or rent. 25% of the household cultivated less than one hectare, while 13.13% cultivated between 1-1.99 and 17.17% cultivated between 4-4.99hectare. the food insecurity status of the household revealed that 69% of the household were food secured while 31.31% of the respondents were non-food secured.

The Food insecurity status derived from the IFPRI, (2001) analysis revealed that, 68.69% of the respondents are food secured while 31.31% of the respondents are not food secured. Which means that majority of the respondents are food secured. Therefore, the determinant of food insecurity status in the study area which was analysed by the use of probit regression model are Marital Status P2 had a negative coefficient of -0.99395 and it was significant at 5% level, Farm Size (P5)had a positive coefficient of 0.19998 and it is significant at 5% level. Income earned (P6) had a negative coefficient of -0.14350 and has 10% level of significance. This indicate a negative and inverse relationship with the level of food securityof the respondents in the study area, Off-Farm Income (P8) had a negative coefficient -0.62946 and is significant at the level of 5%. This indicate an inverse relationship with the level of food insecurity, this implies that a naira increase in the off-farm income will result to a decrease in the level of food insecurity in the study area. Expenditure of non-food items (P9) has a Positive coefficient of 0.5110 and it was significant at 10% level. Agricultural Cooperative (P10) had a negative coefficient of -0.8159 on household food insecurity status of the respondents in the study area and it is significant at 5% level. Age, Dependency ratio, Household size, and Primary occupation were not significant. The household uses various coping strategies on food insecurity, 38.38% do switch from modern to traditional medicine, 22.22% borrow food from friends and family, 28.28% send children to work to reduce dependency ratio.

However, the adoption of more sustainable approaches in cushioning the effect of food insecurity by farming households is recommended. The government should train the farmers on off-farm businesses, entrepreneurship and agro-businesses and Young farmers should be encouraged to go to school to the tertiary levels and these institutions should be provided for them in their comfortable vicinity and at a very cheap and affordable price. Moreso, the agricultural extension services should be strengthened with a view of educating farmers and rural households on the use of local resources in other to improve the nutritional status of their households.