Effects of flood on rice farmer’s food security in Agricultural zone I of Niger State

Abstract

This study determined the effects of flood on rice farmers' food security in Agricultural Zone I of Niger State. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 127 rice farmers affected by flood and 127 rice farmers not affected by flood. Primary data were used for this study. The data were collected with the assistance of a well-trained enumerator using questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logit regression) were used to achieve the objectives. The result showed that 96.1% of rice farmers not affected by flood were food secured while 73.2% affected farmers were food secured. The coefficient of household size, extension access, cooperative, farm income, value of crop loss due to flood and days farm had effect on food security. Raising seed bed (X=4.59). Planting flood resistance seeds (X =4.50) were the most coping strategies adopted by rice farmers affected by flood to mitigate effects of flood while emergency water storage (X=4.40), agricultural insurance of farm (X=4.40) were the most coping strategies adopted by rice farmers not affected by flood to mitigate flood. It is recommended that rice farmers affected by flood to insure their farm in order to avert unforeseen circumstances. Rice farmers should put every measure in place to control floods in the study area. It is recommended that post-flood soil rehabilitation be adopted to mitigate the negative effect of flood.