Effect of Yam-Based Production on Food Security Status of Farm Households in Edo South, Nigeria
Abstract
The study assessed the effect of yam-based production on the food security status of farm households in Edo south, Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives of the study were to examine the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, analyse the contribution of yam-based production to the income profile of the households, estimate their mean per capita daily calorie intake and examine the determinants and the probability of households being food secured.
A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 120 farm households from Edo South agro-ecological zone of Edo-State data were collected with the aid of well – structured interview schedule on households socio-economic variables which included sex, age, marital status, level of education, farm size, household size and household income and expenditure profile among others. Data collected were analyzed by appropriate statistical analysis which included frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, and Logit regression model.
The results showed that 97 males, represented majority of the households with (80.8%) and females 23, represented 19.2%of the house heads. The mean age of household reads was 50 years, of which (92.5%) of them were married, 53% owned houses and 58% had farming experience of 11.20 years the mean household size was estimated as seven persons with a mean farm size of 1.35 hectares. The mean annual household income in the study area was estimated as N 496.850.88 out of which farm income contributed N 62.4307, and off income contributed (37.57%). The mean monthly household expenditure was N 40,934.31 out of which food expenditure accounted for 40 .22%. The results also showed that the area was fairly food - secured with 52.5% being food secured and 47.67 being food insecure with mean per capita calorie intake of 36,okcal and 120.2 kcal respectively.
Finally, the results also revealed that three variables in the logit model were significant in explaining variation in the food security status of the households. These are farm size, form income and off-income. It was recommended that government should provide bigger plot of land for those farmers who are determined to take farming as business.
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Introduction
A silent crises is raging in Nigeria as a result of the prevalence of food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition. Each year, no less than one million Nigeria children die before their fifth birthday. Lactating and pregnant women are not spared by the scourge (World Bank, 2004)
Available evidence indicated that children, pregnant and lactating women on the aggregate are not receiving adequate energy and protein to meet their recommended daily requirement. Available data indicate that Nigeria has chronic under nutrition problem. Recent anthropometric survey D.H.S, (2006) has indicated serious acute and chronic nutrition problems among preschool Children. Food is a basic human need and the only source of nutrients required for the sustainance of life. Food security indicates the availability and access to food by those in need (Okunmadewa et al., 1999). The Bali-declaration of Non-Aligned movement and other developing countries defined food security as “access to food for healthy life by all people at all time (NAM, 2004). It recongnises that inspite of a substantial increase in the world’s food output the number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition has increase during the decades in many developing countries.
The incidence of food insecurity and malnutrition has become more severe in the urban settings than in rural areas in recent years. Farm sizes can be an indication of food insecurity. Results of studies (world bank, 2006) indicted the 20-30% of farm families with smallholdings (1 ha or less) in the northern states suffer from chronic food insecurity. On the other hand, over 4% of the households in the southern states of Nigeria have less than 1.2 ha, considered minimum for sustaining a household in the south of Nigeria.
One of the manifestation of food insecurity is malnutrition, the definition of malnutrition vary depicted by the range of estimates available from international and national agencies faced with the task of measuring malnourishment globally and nationally, it is essentially a deficiency in amount of calories consumed per day (Grigg, 1995) .
Putting an end to food insecurity among farmer is very essential due to its concormittant effects. And since the source of livelihood of majority of the poor in the rural areas is agriculture, research has shown that yam-based production, if improved is capable of doubling income and enhancing food security status of yam farmers. This is because yam, a staple crop, is the most important source of dietary calories in Nigeria and Ghana. And for many people in the region, they rank above other tuber and root crop in terms of preferred choice. Dorosh (2000), found a positive income elasticity of demand for yams. Indicating a household preference for yam when their purchasing power improves, it was not surprising therefore, for Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to award a grant of US12million to support the yam improvement for income and food security in west Africa (YIIFSWA). Project spread across Nigeria and Ghana, in the belief that it could mitigate the problem of food insecurity
Conclusion
It has been established that yam production significantly improved the living standard of the farmers and that more improvement might have been achieved if the farmers had expanded their production base. It can be inferred from the study that yam-production is a veritable tool for food security improvement in the rural areas. Based on the findings, the following recommendations are made:
A. The positive influence of larger farm size on food security of rural households necessitates that farming on large scale should be encouraged among household in rural areas. Thus efforts should be directed by both government at all levels and individual toward empowering farmers or farmer’s empowering themselves by joining co-operatives to have fund to lease large farm size.
B. A well-fed nation is a wealthy nation, that is able to supply the needed man-power for its economic growth and development. Thus, a well-planned and executed nutritional programme should be directed at the vulnerable groups in the study areas.
C. A kind of enlightenment campaign (through the media) on nutritional status and intake can be embarked upon at the grass root level for all.
D. The government at the grassroots can vigorously pursue the meal subsidy and food aid for all, especially those of farming age so that the target audience will be actual beneficiary.
