Sources of Risk and Management Strategies among Small Scale Farmers in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study focused on understanding the risk attitudes and strategies used by small scale farmers in managing negative farm related risks in Kaduna state as a case study. Structured questionnaires were used to collect relevant data from 150 small scale farmers in the study area and the respondents were randomly selected. Descriptive statistics, Attitudinal Scale Approach (ASA) and regression analysis were used for the data analysis. The results show that lack of technical know-how of improved farming technologies, livestock diseases outbreak and high cost of inputs are perceived mostrisky. The mean score and the standard deviation of all the statements are 3.0 and 1.066 respectively and 62.7% of the respondents were categorized among probable risk-averse individuals, while 34% of the respondents were categorized as risk preference individuals. Farm size, educational status and gross farm income affected the riskattitudes of the respondents. The management strategies used by the households include adoption of improved farming technologies, rain-fed and dry season farming, tractor fo rtillage operations, mixed cropping, planting profitable crops, participating in farmers' group/association, access to ADP extension agents and, government projects. It is recommended that the policies regarding improvement of irrigation infrastructure in the current agricultural transformation agenda should be strengthened so as to resolve all weather-dependent threats to agricultural production by small scale farmers.

Publication
International Interdisciplinary Business-Economics Advancement Conference (IIBA 2015) organised by the University of South Florida, aboard Liberty of the Seas Cruise Ship (University of the Seas), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, 28th March-2nd April
Risk averse farmers agricultural transformation agenda managementstrategies production threats.
Job Nmadu
Professor of Agricultural Economics and Dean, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology

Research interests are economic efficiencies of small scale farming and welfare effects of agricultural interventions.

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