Evaluation of farmer’s participation in National Special Program for Food Security in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study evaluates farmer involvement in National Special Program for Food Security in Niger State, Nigeria. Purposive sampling techniques was used to select participants from the three Agricultural sites of the  programme using structured interview schedule to gather information from
one hundred and three respondents. Descriptive statistics, Likert scale and t-test were used to analyze the data collected. Results emerging from analyzed data indicate that 55.9% of farmers participated in crop  production which led to increase in their farm size, output and income.
Farmersf participation is low in marketing of the farm products (13.7%) and fairly high in livestock (30.2%). The study also indicated that  respondents expressed satisfaction in terms of involvement in the implementation of NSPFS programme components identified. Loans provided for the project participants assisted the recipients in boosting their farm production. The t-test result revealed that significant increases were found in the farm size, output, p. 0.01 (1%) and income of participants after the programme. This means that the programme has impacted positively on the participants especially in Agricultural production. The study concluded that farmerfs participation in NSPFS programme actually poverty reduced poverty level and significantly contributed to food
security. This has given them more access to production credit and other specific benefits. It has increased their output and improved their living condition. It was recommended that the programme should have more sites and participants so as to better raise their output, income and farm size.

Key words: Food Security, poverty alleviation, farm size, income, output.