Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 14 ISSUE 3
Written by Ogbonnaya Ukeh OTEH, Ifeanyi N. NWACHUKWU

The study analysed income inequalities and food security status o f farmers in South Eastern Nigeria, using Abia State. Specifically, the study accessed the income inequalities o f farmers; determine the food security status o f the farmers; estimate the factors that influence food security among the farmers in the study area. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in the selection o f location and 180 respondents usedfor the study. The study employed Ginicoefficient, food security index and multiple regressions in the analysis o f the data collected. Result shows that Gini coefficient value was 0.67, showing that there was high income inequality in the study area. Majority o f the respondents, constituting about 68.57 percent were food insecure in the study area. The regression results showed that age o f the household head, educational attainment o f the household head and monthly income o f the head were the major determinants o f food security status in the study area. The study recommends that government policies targeted at farmers should be strengthened, in order to bridge the gap in farmers ’ income. Government should also create opportunities for small scale businesses to flourish in ural areas. This will provide the people the much needed income, amongst other things. The study investigated factors affecting commercialization o f cassava producing household in Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State, Nigeria. It specifically examined the socio-economic characteristics o f cassava household; determine commercialization index and analyzed factors that influence commercialization among cassava producing households. The study employed purposive sampling technique in the selection o f 120 respondents from one local government area (LGA) based on characteristics o f interest, nearness and other related features. The selection was done from 6 communities at the rate o f 20 respondents per community. Analytically, descriptive statistics, household commercialization index (HCI), and multiple regression analysis were used. The results showed that the mean age o f the cassava producing household was about 40 years with a mean farming experience o f 14 years. They are mostly married with an average o f 5 persons per households. The result further revealed that only a few households (less than 2%) have very high commercialization orientation, which exposes the level o f farming in the area. With respect to determinants o f factors that influence commercialization, value o f output, farm size, sex, nearness to market, membership o f cooperative and farming experience were significant and found to exhibit varying degree. The study therefore recommends that supportpolicies that sustain and improve the productivity among farming household especially land tenure policy issues, greater incentives policies for farmers in the rural areas; linkages between farm households and the markets; increase access and exchange o f information on markets.

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