Analysis Of Influence Of Livelihood Activities On Food Security Among Rural Farming Households In Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of livelihood activities on the food security status of rural farming households in Adamawa State, Nigeria. Primary data was the main sources of data which was collected with the aid of structure schedule. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques was used to select 300 farming households from six Local Government Areas across the three senatorial zones of the state. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study revealed that crop production (92.9%), selling of forest products (72.5%), and livestock production/marketing (65.3%) were the most common livelihood activities among respondents. The HFIAS results showed that only 34.7% of households were food secure, while 65.3% experienced varying degrees of food insecurity. Specifically, 25.9% were mildly food insecure, 27.5% moderately food insecure, and 11.9% severely food insecure. The marginal effect estimates indicated that on-farm income (dy/dx = 0.2145), off-farm income (dy/dx = 0.1738), non-farm income (dy/dx = 0.1964), and educational level (dy/dx = 0.0876) had positive and significant effects on household food security. Conversely, age (dy/dx = -0.0418) and household size (dy/dx = -0.0642) negatively and significantly influenced food security status. The study concludes that livelihood diversification plays a vital role in improving food security among rural farming households. Therefore, policies and interventions that promote diversified income opportunities, education, and agricultural productivity are essential for enhancing household welfare and reducing food insecurity in Adamawa State.