Farming profitability as a mediator of government support for small scale farming and food security in Nigeria

Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Food Security in North East Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between agricultural entrepreneurship and food security in North East Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted, targeting farmers and agribusiness investors in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe States. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. A total of 5,000 questionnaires were distributed, of which 4,869 were valid and returned, representing a response rate of 97.4%. The data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation with the aid of SPSS version 25.0 at a 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that agro-processing entrepreneurship has a positive and significant relationship with food security, indicating that value addition and reduced post-harvest losses enhance food availability and accessibility. The study also found a significant positive relationship between agri-tech entrepreneurship and food security, suggesting that the adoption of modern agricultural technologies improves productivity and supports sustainable food production. Furthermore, agri-business entrepreneurship was found to have a significant positive relationship with food security, demonstrating that efficient agribusiness management, improved market access, and strengthened agricultural value chains contribute to enhanced food security in the region. The study concluded that agricultural entrepreneurship is a critical driver of food security in North East Nigeria. It recommended increased investment in agro processing infrastructure, expansion of access to modern agricultural technologies through extension services and innovation support, and the provision of affordable finance and market linkages to agribusiness entrepreneurs to strengthen agricultural productivity and ensure sustainable food security.

ASSESSMENT OF INCOME DIVERSIFICATION LEVELS AMONG SMALL-SCALE FARMERS IN YOBE STATE

This study aims to assess the level of income diversification among Yobe State small-scale farmers. Primary data was collected through a face-to-face survey-based approach through a multistage sampling technique, where 384 small-scale farmers were interviewed. The data were analyzed using statistical package for social science software (SPSS) version 26 for the descriptive analysis of the frequency distribution table, regression analysis and the Simpson Index of Diversification (SID) to test the study's aims and objectives. The results revealed that the respondents engaged in both On-farm and Non-farm livelihood diversification strategies. The overall SID of Non-farm diversification indicated that the respondents had a medium diversification index of 0.55, this primarily driven by participation in wage employment outside agriculture and self-employment. The on-farm diversification index was 0.30, indicating lower diversification than the Non-farm. This lower index is determined mainly by both food crops and cash crops. The study further revealed that small-scale farmers income diversification is influenced by the predictor factors of the farming operation system, average annual income in naira, age, farmland ownership, marital status, farm size, educational level, household size, and farming experience. The study concluded that the lower diversification index of On-farm could be due to the unpredictable risks associated with farming, making it less viable and turning farmers to off-farm activities as a means of coping strategies. And the Non-farm has a medium diversification index. This shows how important Non-farm is in stabilizing small-scale farmers' income and livelihood and signifies the potential risk facing the agricultural productivity in the study area.

Effectiveness of Organic Fertilizer Subsidies on the Profitability and Sustainability of Farmers' Savings and Loan Cooperatives

This study examines the effectiveness of organic fertilizer subsidies and cooperative financial support in shaping the profitability and business sustainability of a farmers' savings and loan cooperative in West Sumatra Province, Indonesia. A quantitative explanatory design was applied to 115 farmer-members who had received the organic fertilizer subsidy through the cooperative's revolving fund scheme. Data were collected using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through validity and reliability testing, classical assumption testing, and multiple linear regression using two structural models. The results show that subsidy effectiveness and cooperative financial support jointly explain 32.6% of the variance in business profitability, while profitability together with the two exogenous variables explains 50.3% of the variance in business sustainability. Both subsidy effectiveness and cooperative financial support have a significant positive effect on profitability (p < 0.001), and profitability, in turn, significantly and positively affects sustainability (p < 0.001), confirming a partial mediation pattern. The findings suggest that organic fertilizer subsidies deliver their strongest welfare impact when channeled through cooperative institutions that simultaneously strengthen farmers' access to affordable credit and savings services. The study contributes to the literature by linking subsidy-policy effectiveness with cooperative financial intermediation and long-term sustainability outcomes, an intersection rarely examined jointly in prior research on Indonesian farmer institutions. Policy implications for subsidy targeting and cooperative capacity-building are discussed.

Analysis of Marketing Efficiency of Cattle for Enhancing Food Security in North-East Nigeria

This study analysed the Marketing Efficiency of Cattle for Enhancing Food Security in North-East Nigeria. Purposive and simple random sampling method were adopted to select 495 respondents, to form the sample size. The Primary data for the study was collected through a cross-sectional survey of cattle marketers with the aid of well-structured questionnaire. The study employed stochastic frontier model to analyse the data collected. The Stochastic frontier analysis revealed that despite decline in efficiency, inputs such as capital (0.210), water (0.277), and cattle feeds (0.337), significantly increased efficiency, while experience in cattle marketing (-0.013) reduced inefficiency in the cattle marketing. The study therefore, recommend a concerted effort to establish robust frameworks, integrate cutting-edge technologies to facilitate a collective approach to addressing the complex challenges faced by cattle marketers, and fortify the adaptive capacity of the livestock sector to external shocks and enhance food security in North-East Nigeria.

Economics Analysis and Determinants of Profitability of Catfish Farming in Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria

This study provides an economic analysis of the cost structure and how it influences the profitability of catfish farming in Kaduna North Local Government Area. The research specifically examines the determinants of profitability, but lays emphasis on the composition and behavior of production costs, categorizing them into fixed and variable costs, and ultimately tries to ascertain their effect on overall profitability. To this end, this study assessed the economics of catfish farming in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 60 table-sized catfish farmers were randomly selected from the list of Agricultural Development Program (ADP) contact fish farmers in the study area and interviewed through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis, and a multiple regression model were employed in analyzing the data. Results revealed that table-sized catfish farmers were at most 40 years old (55.0%), male (70.0%), married (68.3%), had between 5-9 years of experience in catfish farming (58.3%), with no access to farm credit (61.7%). The cost of feeds per kg of table-sized catfish was estimated at N238.39, while the seed fingerling cost N6.56, constituting 80.6% and 2.2% of the total cost per kg of catfish produced. The labour cost per kg of the fish was N10.2, constituting 3.4% of the total cost per kg of the fish. The profitability statistics, including Rate of Return on Investment (RRI) and Profitability Index (PI), were estimated at 35.1% and 26%. The regression analysis shows that the estimated F-value of 16.578 was significant at 1% level, with an R2 estimated at 0.565, indicating both the fitness of the models and data captured, which all indicated that table-sized catfish farming is profitable in the study area. It is recommended that catfish farmers in the study area pay special attention to the cost of feeds, as it could be critical to the profitability of the fish farming enterprises.

of Farm Input Facilitation of Non-Governmental Organization