Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 15 ISSUE 3
Written by Chigozirim Ndubuisi ONWUSIRIBE, Blessing Nkechi NWAIWU, Chibuzo Ikechukwu OKPOKIRI

Large quantity of the food consumed in Abia State comes from the Northern part of the country. The insurgence in the north has created an atmosphere of panic and this has affected agricultural production and trade in the northern region. This study assessed north insurgency and the performance of food dealers in Abia state, Nigeria. Specifically this study examined the constraining experience of the food dealers due to insurgence, examined the frequency of travelling to the north by the food dealers and analyzed the cost effect of the insurgency on the performance of food dealers in Abia State. The towns of Aba and Umuahia were selected for the study because of the huge presence of food marketers. A multi stage random sampling technique was adopted to select the food dealers. Firstly, a purposive selection of two major markets in the towns of Aba and Umuahia which include Ariara Main Market and the Ubani Ultra Modern Market Umuahia. . In order to give each of the food dealers an equal opportunity of been selected a random sampling technique was used to select 25 food dealers from the markets respectively to make a sample size of 50 food dealers. Both questionnaires and interviews were used to elicit the required data from the selected food dealers. Descriptive statistics and cost and return analysis were used to achieve the objectives of this study. The study clearly shows that majority of the food dealers are females representing 64% of the sampled food dealers and majority of the food dealers had basic education. The major constraining experiences due to the insurgence were the decrease in the number of food dealers in Abia State and in the North and the continuous increase in the cost and selling price of the food items. The states of the North Central Zone are the most visited as shown by 55.9% of the food dealers response, while the North East Zone got the lowest number of visit of 8.9% as shown by the food dealers’ response. The insurgence had a 19.5% estimated reduction on the net profit of the food dealers. Buying through an agent and the encouragement of local production of the food products mostly purchased in the North are the measures to curb the effect of the insurgency on the performance of the food dealers. The government should thoroughly consider the plight of these food dealers who put their life in danger in order to make food available in the state. The security of these traders should be paramount; they should consider organizing a system of purchasing the food in bulk with the aid of security agent and through trade agents. A plan to improve the agricultural system in the state in order to boost local production of some essential food commodities will reduce the risk of the insurgency on the food dealers.

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