Assessment of Livelihood Sustainability Strategies among Small-Holder Farmers in Flood-Prone Areas of Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the livelihood sustainability strategies among small-holder farmers in flood-prone areas of Jigawa State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 383 smallholder farmers and a structured questionnaire (Kobotool box) was used to elicit information from the sampled population. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the priority index. The study revealed that the majority (89.30%) of the small-scale farmers were male (89.3%) and married (90.9%) within the mean age of 45 years, while the mean monthly income earned by the respondents was N46,412.30. The study also reveals that the mean farming experience of the respondents was 18 years, with an average farm size of 2.42 ha, and 53.30% of them were members of cooperative societies. The study identified 23 diversified economic activity strategies adopted by the respondents in the study area as a source of livelihood. The study depicted that vulnerability (0.89), high investment costs (0.85), and inadequate capital to diversify (0.82) were the major factors militating against livelihood sustainability strategies among the small-scale farmers in the study area. The study concluded that most small-scale farmers in flood-prone areas of Jigawa State, Nigeria, maintained a well-diversified income portfolio with an average sustainable livelihood status. It was therefore recommended that the government, non-governmental organizations, as well as community stakeholders should improve rural infrastructures like good roads, rural electrification, potable water, telecommunication services, and an affordable healthcare system since they are important for enhancing economic activities and improving livelihoods.