Agricultural Risks Management Strategies Needed By Farmers in Western Agricultural Zone of Kogi State
Agricultural Risks Management Strategies Needed By Farmers in Western Agricultural Zone of Kogi State.
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to investigate the risks management strategies that are needed by crop farmers in the Western Agricultural zone of kogi state. Five research question and five corresponding hypothesis tested at 0.5 level of significance and 131 degree of freedom guided the study.
A survey research design was adopted for the study. A total of 147 registered farmers with the state A.D.P. and, 17 extension workers were randomly sampled.
A structured Questionnaire was used for data collection. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.70 using Kuder- Richardson Formula K- R 21.
Four experts carried out face validation of the instrument. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research question while t-test statistic was used to test the hypotheses.
The study showed that farmers need many climate risks management strategies to deal with the risks of climate change in their farming enterprise.
Farmers also need proactive and modern pests and diseases risks management strategies to combat diseases risks instead of using local hardy varieties which are more resistant to diseases but less yielding.
Marketing strategies that will enable the farmers to benefit from increases in price of farm produce at any time are seen to be needed as price and market risk management strategies rather than those strategies that will force the farmers to a fixed price with stable market.
Farmers require all proactive strategies that will help them to overcome any of the social risks they may encounter in the course of farming.
The coping strategies that are needed by farmers are those that they can access from their own savings, assets, self discipline by cutting down expenses and those from government and Non Governmental Organizations (N. G. Os).
They lack trust in the genuineness of insurance industry to provide succor for them in time of stress. It was recommended that the stabilization of agricultural inputs and output prices should be ensured to encourage farmers and remove market risks from their array of risks.
Enlisting of farmers in the programme and activities of the National Emergency Management Authority (N. E. M.A.) should be ensured to provide relief materials and succor for farmers in adverse situation.
Also the National Geographic Information Systems (N.G.I.S) should be providing rural farmers with current information about expected changes in weather conditions so that they can be well prepared in advance and strategize their activities to manage risks associated with sudden changes in climatic conditions.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page——i
Certification—ii
Approval page——iii
Dedication—–iv
Acknowledgments–v
Contents–vi
List of tables——-ix
List of figures—–x
Abstracts —–xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the study——-1
Statement of the problem—–7
Purpose of the study——-9
Significance of the study—-9
Research questions——10
Hypotheses——10
Scope of the study—–11
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Conceptual framework—–12
Theoretical framework——-18
Various kinds of risks encountered in farming—–26
Strategies for dealing with production risks arising from climate change——–33
Drought Risk and Its Management———39
Flood Risks and Its Management Strategies——44
Pest and Diseases Risk Management Strategies———47
Managing price and market risks in farming—–53
Management of social risk in farming–60
Risks of Fire and its Management ———61
Theft Risk and its Management—–65
Health and Death Risks and its Management—–68
Coping strategies to cushion the effects of risks—-72
Related empirical studies on risk management—–74
Summary of review of related literature—–78
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
The design of the study—-81
Area of the study——–81
Population for the study——–82
Sample for the study—-82
Instrument for data collection——-83
Validation of the instrument——84
Reliability of the instrument—–84
Method of data collection–85
Method of data analysis—-86
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Findings of the study—– 108
Discussion of the findings— 114
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Re-statement of the problem——123
Description of the procedures used——-124
Major findings of the study———-125
Conclusion——-127
Educational implication of the study——-128
Recommendations—129
Limitation of the study——-129
Suggestions for further study—-130
REFERENCES——131
APPENDICES—-136
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is the basic source of human sustenance on the planet earth. It is the primary source of food for human existence. Agriculture is the first occupation on the earth and it has been the primary occupation of people of Western Zone of Kogi State. It is the primary source of food for human survival.
Agriculture has been defined as the entire range of technologies associated with the production of useful products from plants and animals, including soil cultivation, crop and livestock management and the activities of processing and marketing (Sci-Tech Encyclopedia, 2009).
It is from agriculture that man obtains both fleshy and vegetable foods, fibers for cloth and even wood and plant coverings for shelter.
Osinem (2005) stated that agriculture is the activity most essential for human survival: it feeds people, produces basic commodity for the society, and provides gainful employment for the majority. Thus, it can be said that agriculture is the basic foundation upon which all other sphere of human development stands.
However, in spite of this basic importance of agriculture, it is laden with risks. As a result of these risks, agriculture in Western Zone of Kogi State and Nigeria at large has suffered negligence and low patronage. Thus, these risks had prevented agriculture from achieving its basic purpose to the maximum.
REFERENCES
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Dryland farming in Africa London: Macmillan Educational LTD
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Alan, M. Dobbins, C. Pritchett, J., Boehlje, M. and Ehmke, C. (2004). Risks management for farmers. Indiana. http://[email protected]. 04-11 Sept 2004 PP 1-31.
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