An Analysis of the Effect of Livelihood Diversification on the Food Security Status of the Rural Farming Households in Udi L.G.A of Enugu State

Abstract

Diversification of livelihoods is a recurrently applied approach for cushioning economic and environmental shocks on the path to improving food security. Therefore, this study was conducted to empirically analyse the effect of livelihood diversification, on the food security status of the rural farming households. The study was conducted in Udi local government area, Enugu state, Nigeria. The study drew a sample of 60 rural households through a multi-stage random sampling technique. Data obtained were analysed using food security index, tobit regression model and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The two-third mean per capital monthly food expenditure (food security line) for the entire household was ₦1,430.18. More than half (55%) of the sampled households were food insecure. The tobit regression result indicated that the household size, farm size, gender, age and dependency ratio were found to have significant effect in determining diversification of the farming households livelihood sources. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient obtained for the diversification index (0.61) was positive and significant at 1 percent level of probability. Policy implications were drawn for birth control, poverty alleviation programs which would enhance their livelihood diversification activities, and the creation of sustainable off-farm and non-farm employment opportunities.