ECONOMICS OF MAIZE PRODUCTION AND ITS EFFECT ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY STATUS IN KADUNA STATE,NIGERIA

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Date
2021-02
Authors
AMEH, Ajuma Susan
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Abstract
This study focused on economics of maize production and its effect on household food security status in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed which followed the random selection of 258 maize farmers for the study. Primary data was collected through the use of structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using Descriptive statistics, net farm income, stochastic frontier production function and Tobit regression model. The result showed that mean age was 46 years with a standard deviation of 10.1. Majority of the farmers (76.75%) have one form of formal education or the other. A high number of farmers (41.86 %) had household size ranged from 6 - 10 persons. 89.92 % were not members of a cooperative society, about 75 % of the farmers did not have access to extension service while about 98.45 % of the farmers did not have access to credit. Finding also revealed that, the net farm income was ₦244,449.8 and return per naira invested is ₦2.99, indicating that for every ₦1 invested a profit of ₦1.99 kobo was made. The estimated mean technical efficiency for maize farmers was 0.73. The mean allocative efficiency of the maize farmers was 70 %, while the mean economic efficiency of the maize farmers was 51%. About 62.40 percent of maize farming households were found to be food secure while 37.60 % were food insecure. Of the insecure households, 4.3 % were marginally food insecure, 4.7 % moderately food insecure and 28.7 % severely food insecure. Maize farming had a positive relationship with household food security status. Of the ten independent variables used in determining the effect of maize production on household food security status, six (age of household head, household size, farm size, farming experience, offfarm income and extension contact) were found to be significant in affecting the food security status of the maize farming households. Finally, maize farmers attested to the fact that; inadequate access to credit facilities (57.4%), inadequate storage facilities (40.3%) and low information on improved technology/extension service (27.9 %) are most severe constrains militating the chances of increasing maize production. Immediate effort should be made by maize farmers to form or join cooperative societies, so as to be able to have increased access to micro-credit, access to modern farming techniques and access to extension agents and also to enjoy economies of scale on input and output as they can buy in large quantities at wholesale price
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A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCENCE DEGREE IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
ECONOMICS,, MAIZE PRODUCTION,, EFFECT,, HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY STATUS,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA
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