Aug 2026· Journal of Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Animal Science· 0 citations
Abstract
Orphan crops, also known as neglected and underutilized crops, possess significant potential for improving household nutrition, agricultural resilience, and food security, yet they remain largely overlooked in agricultural development programmes in Nigeria. This study investigated the impact of orphan crop utilization on household food security among rural households in South-West Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select 540 farming households from three purposively selected states (Oyo, Ogun, and Ondo). Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) food security index, t-test, and probit regression model. The results showed that the respondents had a mean age of 42 years, an average farming experience of 17 years, and an average farm size of 4.85 hectares. About 76% of the households consumed orphan crops, while 73.72% of the households that utilized orphan crops in their diets were food secure compared with only 30.23% of non-utilizing households. The t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in food security status between orphan crop utilizers and non-utilizers (t = -30.807, p < 0.01). Probit regression results indicated that orphan crop utilization had a positive and highly significant impact on household food security (β = 0.953, p < 0.01). Other significant determinants of food security included age, household size, farming years of experience, education level, and farm size. The study concludes that increased utilization of orphan crops significantly enhances household food security by improving dietary diversity and strengthening the resilience of rural farming households. It therefore recommends the promotion of orphan crop production and utilization through supportive government policies, improved access to quality planting materials, extension services, research, farmer training, and market development to enhance sustainable food security in Nigeria.
Orphan crops are indigenous and underutilized crops with significant potential for improving food and nutrition security, but their cultivation has continued to decline in many parts of Nigeria. This study examined the utilization of orphan crops in rural household diets and the factors mitigating their cultivation among farmers in South-West Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 540 farming households from three states (Oyo, Ogun, and Ondo). Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that several orphan crops, including pearl millet (97.22%), yam bean (87.78%), Bambara groundnut (85.00%), worowo (81.11%), and breadfruit (71.67%), were widely consumed by rural households. However, the cultivation of most of these crops remained relatively low, with many households depending on wild collection rather than on-farm production. The major factors mitigating their cultivation were inadequate seeds and planting materials (WMS=1.64), lack of processing equipment (WMS=1.64), lack of institutional support (WMS=1.59), and slow maturity (WMS=1.51). Conversely, pest infestation, poor knowledge of preparation, market unavailability, poor shelf life, cultural stigma, and lack of awareness were identified as minor constraints. The study concludes that orphan crops continue to play an important role in rural household diets in South-West Nigeria but remain undercultivated due to institutional and production-related constraints. It was recommended that the government should provide support through improved seed systems and the development of viable value chains to promote the cultivation and utilization of orphan crops.
Food insecurity remains a critical challenge among arable crop farmers in Nigeria, particularly in Southwest, where socio-economic vulnerabilities and climatic shocks continue to undermine food availability and accessibility. This study investigates the coping strategies adopted by arable crop farmers in the face of food insecurity, aiming to provide insights for policy interventions. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 480 respondents across key agricultural zones in Oyo State. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and percentage rankings of coping strategies. Findings reveal that the most frequently adopted coping mechanisms include allowing children to eat first (27.3%), eating once a day (37.2%), and selling household assets (16.5%). Other strategies such as reducing food quality, picking leftover food at events, and begging for food were less commonly reported, possibly due to associated stigma or cultural reservations. Additionally, a significant proportion of respondents (57%) occasionally bought food on credit, while 59.5% relied on food assistance from relatives or friends. These coping strategies reflect both adaptive and erosive responses, with implications for long-term food system resilience and household welfare. The study concludes that food insecurity among arable crop farmers in Oyo State triggers a range of short-term coping mechanisms, many of which may compromise future livelihoods and productivity. It is recommended that government and development agencies strengthen rural social protection programs, enhance farmers' access to credit and productive assets, and promote community-based food support systems.
Damilola Adejumo, A. Omotoso, Mojirayo Ayodele· International Journal of Agr...· 0 citations
Background: Food and nutrition security is a major challenge worldwide. Food insecurity ranges from moderate to severe and Kenya’s expanding population coupled with challenges in agricultural extension service provision exacerbates the problem. Food insecurity and malnutrition remain common in the country, despite the administration’s various efforts to address these challenges. Methods: This study aimed at assessing the effect of changes of agriculture services post devolution on household food security. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 428 respondents were selected through multistage stratified sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Food security was calculated using food consumption score index while ordered probit was used to model the relationship between the changes post devolution and household food security. The study also used an ordered probit model to assess how changes in agricultural services under devolution affect household food security. Result: The analysis of food consumption scores indicates that 57% of farm households achieved an adequate level of dietary diversity, while 39% fell into the borderline category and 4% were classified as poor. The results show that reliable extension services, subsidized inputs, market links and higher farm profitability had a positive impact while access to superior animal breeds and interruptions in input availability had a negative impact on food security. The findings underscore the importance of dependable and economically priced agricultural services supported by enabling systems for long-term food security improvement.
Fridah Kanana, F. Kirimi, C. Onyari et al.· Agricultural Science Digest...· 0 citations
This study assessed the Effect of IFAD-Community-Based Agricultural and Rural Development
Programme in Rural Women’s Income in Taraba State, Nigeria. on income generation and
livelihood diversification among rural women in Taraba State, Nigeria. A total of 343
respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure across IFAD-CBARDP
intervention areas. Data were collected through structured questionnaire and analysed using
descriptive statistics (frequencies, mean and percentages). Major findings revealed that 72%
of respondents had no formal education, while 65% were married and engaged primarily in
farming and petty trading. On income-generating activities, 74.6% of the women engaged in
poultry farming, 63.3% in petty trading, and 55.7% in food processing of the respondents
engaged in two or more such crop farming 40.8%. Livestock rearing 24.8%, agro-processing
11.7% and trading 8.2% livelihood activities. Regarding household income, 76.4%
experienced a positive shift from low to moderate or high-income levels after program
participation. Major challenges included lack of access to credit (71.2%), poor market access
(65.3%), and inadequate training (58.9%). The study concluded that IFADCBARDP
significantly increased rural women’s income and promoted livelihood diversification. It is
therefore recommended that stakeholders should strengthen rural women’s access to
affordable credit in order to encourage livelihood diversification among rural women
Sadiq Usman Abubakar· IIARD INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL...· 0 citations
This study investigates the extent and determinants of livelihood diversification among integrated crop- livestock farming households in North-West Nigeria. The study aimed at assessing the integrated crop- livestock farming practices and analyse the factors influencing the livelihood activities of the farmers in the study area. The study used a multistage sampling procedure consisting of 3 states, 3 agricultural zones, 21 LGAs and 84 villages. Data were collected from 405 respondents through structured questionnaires andanalysed using descriptive statistics, the Simpson Diversification Index (SDI) and Tobit regression. Findings revealed a moderate level of livelihood diversification, with an average SDI of 0.58. Farmers engaged in diverse on-farm, off-farm, and non-farm income-generating activities, with on-farm income accounting for 66.66% of the total annual household income, followed by non-farm (23.57%) and off-farm (9.77%) sources. Tobit regression results showed that household size, gender of the household head, and access to credit were significant at the 5% level, respectively while education level and income from various sources were significant at the 1% level, all positively influencing livelihood diversification. Conversely, farm size had a negative and significant relationship, suggesting that larger farms often reduce the likelihood of engaging in alternative livelihood strategies. The study concludes that diversification is a critical strategy for income stability and risk management among smallholders. It recommends enhancing access to credit, promotingrural farmer education and improving rural infrastructure to sustain and expand livelihood diversification.
M. Abdullahi, M. Sulaiman· Agro-Science· 0 citations
Food insecurity remains a major concern among smallholder farming households in Kenya despite continued efforts to increase agricultural productivity and improve rural livelihoods. Previous studies have mainly linked household food security to factors such as farm production, income levels, access to extension services, land ownership, and the adoption of improved technologies. However, little attention has been given to the role of farmers’ purchasing decisions and input sourcing practices. In addition, theories widely used in purchasing and supply chain management, including Value Chain Theory, Transaction Cost Theory, the Relational View, Social Embeddedness Theory, and Institutional Theory, have rarely been applied to explain food security outcomes among smallholder farmers. This study addresses this gap by examining how purchasing practices influence food security among African Indigenous Vegetable (AIV) farmers in the Nyanza region of Kenya. A cross-sectional correlational research design was employed, and primary data were collected from 430 AIV farmers selected through stratified random sampling across six counties. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression techniques. The findings showed that purchasing practices were positively and significantly associated with household food security (R² = 0.326, F (8,421) = 25.43, p < 0.001). Collaboration with input suppliers and other value chain actors had the strongest positive association with food security (β = 0.237, p < 0.001), followed by aligning purchases with consumer preferences (β = 0.205, p < 0.001) and input supplier selection (β = 0.192, p < 0.001). Household income, farming experience, and monthly sales also had significant positive relationships with food security. This study contributes to the literature by integrating insights from food security and supply chain management and by recognising smallholder farmers as active purchasing decision-makers whose sourcing choices influence production, market participation, and household well-being. The findings highlight the importance of strong relationships within indigenous vegetable value chains in improving food security outcomes. Strengthening partnerships between farmers and input suppliers, promoting collaborative marketing, improving access to market information, and investing in aggregation centres and cold storage facilities could enhance the efficiency and resilience of indigenous vegetable markets. Farmers can further improve household food security by building long-term supplier relationships, responding to consumer preferences, and adopting more strategic purchasing practices.
Key words: African Indigenous Vegetable Farmers, Food Security. Purchasing Practices, Kenya
M. Orwenjo, AJ Odondo, E. Micheni· African Journal of Food, Agr...· 0 citations
