PERCEIVED EFFECT OF ECOPNOMIC RECESSION ON FOOD SECURITY STATUS OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The recent recession in Nigeria has been associated with numerous socio-economic challenges among the populace and in particular, the smallholder farmers. This study therefore determined the effect of the economic recession, as proxied by farmers' perception of recession, on the food security status of smallholder farmers in NIger State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 90 respondents from Bosso and Chanchaga Local Government Areas of the State. Data analysis was through descriptive, inferential statistics and attitudinal measuring scale. Majority (74.4%) of the respondents were males, 61.1% were married, with mean household size of 6 amnd average annual income of #36,033.33. Also, considerable proportion (903.3%) of the respondents was aware of economic recession, through the extension agents (60.0%) and cooperatives (52.2%). The weighted mean (X) of the Likert scales revealed that respondents had strong negative perception of economic recession on food security, as it relates to changes in consumption pattern (X=4.33), threat to household food security (x=4.07), adjustment in household expenditure (X=3.98) and high cost of food production (X= 3.72). Considerable population (61.1%) were food insecure, while respondents' perception of recession (proxy for economic recession) had significant and inverse relationship with the food security status of respondent at 5% probability level. The study recommended that farmers should diversify their economic activities, adopt sustainable and smart coping strategies and maintain manageable household sizes in order to ameliorate the effect of economic recession.