Family Income Among Small Scale Farmers A Panacea for Household Food Security in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Food security requires that all individual and household have access to sufficient food either by producing it themselves or by generating sufficient income to demand for it. The study examined the effects of family income on household food security among small scale farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. Data for the study was obtained from 105 respondents, randomly selected with the aid of structured questionnaire. Data analysis was by the use of   descriptive and inferential statistics. Results of the analysis revealed that majority (70.8%) of the respondents were middle age and married. Most (77.1%) of them were educated with one form of education or the others. The findings indicates that N944.57 was food security index of the respondents and more than half (53.3%) of the respondents were food insecure. Significant relationship at P < 0.05 exist between source of income and respondents, Age (r = 0.216), years spend in school (r = 0.206), years of farming experience (r=0.236) and income (r=0.233). The study concluded that more than half of the respondents in the study area are food insecure. The study recommend that government should subsidies agricultural input such as seeds, fertilizers and equipments to small scale farmers in order to improve income earning. Lastly farmer should be encouraged to form cooperative societies group which will enhance their access to credit.

Keywords: Family, Income, household, food security small scale, farmers.