Determinants of Dietary Diversity Among Smallholder Crop Farmers in Southern Nigeria

Z. A. Elum, G. E. Oyita, T. Digitemie and O. N. Ihunwo

Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2024, vol. 14, issue 1

Abstract: Food and nutrition insecurity are on the rise in Nigeria, particularly among smallholder farmers, many of whom are poor. This study is aimed at identifying factors associated with smallholder crop farmers’ dietary diversity in southern Nigeria. Using a multistage sampling procedure, data was collected from 2368 farmers across six states and analysed using descriptive, k-means clustering and multinomial logistic regression. Results showed that 27.36%, 46.83%, and 25.81% of the farmers were categorized as having poor food consumption, borderline and acceptable food consumption respectively. The econometric analysis showed that farmers’ dietary diversity was significantly influenced by age, gender, education, household size, market distance and credit access among other variables. However, increasing years of education and farming experience were not translating to improved dietary diversity for the farmers. The study recommends creating non-farm job opportunities, investing in local markets and improving access to extension programs that enhance farmers' technological knowledge.

Keywords: Consumer/Household Economics; Food Security and Poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:naaenj:358612

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.358612

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