Causal Effect of Off-Farm Activity and Technology Adoption on Food Security in Nigeria

A. A. Obisesan


No 3/2015, September
pp. 3-11

Obisesan A. A. (2015) "Causal Effect of Off-Farm Activity and Technology Adoption on Food Security in Nigeria“, AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 3 – 11. ISSN 1804-1930

Abstract

This study examined off-farm activity participation, technology adoption and impact on food security status of Nigerian farming households. Data were collected using structured questionnaire through a multistage sampling technique. Propensity Score Matching, descriptive statistics and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke weighted index were employed in analysis. Participation in off-farm activity has a positive and significant (p<0.05) influence on level of adoption. The mean per capita household food expenditure (MPCHFE) was ₦30198.34 while the food insecurity line was ₦20132.22 per annum. The impact of improved technology adoption on food insecurity incidence of adopters with off-farm activity was higher than their counterparts without participation. This suggests that participation in off-farm activity and technology adoption have the potential to improve food security. Hence, there should be further sensitization on this technology to improve food security and policy measures should also be oriented towards the support and improvement of rural off-farm income opportunities.

Keywords

Off-farm work, adoption, food security, rural Nigeria.

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