AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF FARMERS’ LIVELIHOOD SECURITY IN THE NORTH-EASTERN REGION OF NIGERIA

The subject of improving livelihood security for the people of the North-Eastern part of Nigeria is an issue of important need, as it is indispensable for the maintenance of human life. This research focuses on the empirical assessment of farmers’ livelihood security in the north-eastern region of Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to identify the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers and to assess the livelihood security status among the farmers in the study area. Data were collected from 435 randomly selected farmers in three states of the North-Eastern region with the aid of structured questionnaires. Data analyses were carried out using descriptive statistics involving the use of frequency distribution, percentages, mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics involving the use of livelihood security index. The results revealed that male farmers constituted the majority (73.17%) of the respondents married with a mean age of 41 years. The respondents were mostly small-scale farmers, and they cultivated an average of 3.5 hectares of farmland. The results of the Livelihood Security index revealed the score value of 0.31 for economic security, food security 0.17, health security 0.33, habitat security 0.49, education security 0.33 and social security scored the highest with 0.77. The overall Household Security Index of the farmers scored a value of 0.40 indicating a low position of livelihood security status of the farmers in the study area. The study recommends the need to focus on growth development programs in which the majority of the poor can earn income and will certainly have a greater impact on reducing poverty, consequently leading to improved livelihood security.