The Role of Productive Safety Net Program in Enhancing Household Food Security: the case of Debark Woreda (Published)

Food  security  issues  become  one  of  the  critical  concern  and  priority  area for developing  countries.  Having clear picture  on  food  security  status  and  its  major challenges  helps  policy  makers  and  planners  to  devise  new  policies  that  enhance  food security. Therefore, this study discusses the role of Productive Safety Net Program in enhancing household food security the case of rural areas of Semen Gonder Zone, Debark Woreda. The two rural Kebeles have been selected agro-ecologically (One was from Kolla and one Kebeles from Dega where selected based on simple random sampling techniques). To accomplish the study, the researcher was selected 130 household using purposive sampling methods. Both qualitative and quantitative data type were employed for the study from both primary and secondary sources. The study results indicated that Productive Safety Net Program was helping beneficiaries for consumption smoothing, asset accumulation, and development of the local community. However, the Productive Safety Net Program was significantly determined by age, education level of the household head, resources (assets) in household level, infrastructure, Lack good governance, and also natural, demographic, agricultural and institutional factors. Moreover, the study also revealed that the practice of Productive Safety Net Program was challenged by a lack of monitoring and evaluation of structures, low quota, low payment and limited awareness of beneficiaries. The coping strategies pursued by rural households in selected Kebele includes; Selling of fire wood, Migration, Daily wage labor, Handicrafts, Consumption responses, Church aid (giving cash/food) and Begging. Therefore, this study suggests that to assure the positive role of Productive Safety Net Program, culture of savings and accumulation of assets, engagement of beneficiary households in diversified asset building livelihood strategies, targeting and minimizing wrong inclusion and exclusion should be improved.

Keywords: Food Security, Household, direct support and public work, productive safety net program

Agricultural Commodities and Economic Growth in Nigeria (Published)

This study investigates the determinants of macroeconomic variables that affect agricultural production in Nigeria. Time – series data, covering the period of 1986 -2016, United States reports, were used. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression technique was fitted to the data. Result showed that corn output has a positive relationship with agricultural output. Millet, rice and palm oil also have positive relationships with total agricultural output. The individual test revealed that corn has no significant impact on agricultural output while millet has a significant impact on agricultural output within the period under study. Thus, this study recommends that there is need to improve on the agricultural practice level of farmers in Nigeria through extension education, so as to achieve food security and conserve the resource base. This should be the intensified and geared towards making farmers to become more aware and understand the consequences of use of more external inputs on their resource base, and the inherent benefits associated with the use of more internal inputs in food production. Improve agricultural production, processing and trade through increased access to resources such as land, technology (improved inputs) credit, and training.

Keywords: Farmers, Food Security, Land, Palmoil, Rice, corn, millet

Marketing Framework in the Dairy Value Chain for Food Security and Sustainable Development in Bungoma County, Kenya (Published)

This paper brings into context the effect of the marketing strategies on the dairy value chain returns and food security in Bungoma County. It highlights marketing strategies and processing activities along the dairy value chain. Much focus is on how marketing of dairy products is done, factors influencing marketing, marketing constraints, household food availability, strategies used by households to cope with food shortages and approaches to making dairy processing sector more attractive to domestic and international investors. Finally, it highlights the strategies and resources devoted to marketing, and the existing linkages between the producers, marketers, processors, and consumers.

Keywords: Dairy Marketing Framework, Dairy Value Chain Returns, Food Security, Marketing Strategy

Determinants of Food Security in Female-Headed Households Involved In Individual Tenure System in Abia State, Southeast Nigeria (Published)

This study on determinants of food security in male and female-headed households involved in individual tenure system in Abia State, Southeast Nigeria was carried out to determine the quantities of cassava demanded and supplied by gender in individual tenure systems in the area and identifying the factors affecting food security of female-headed cassava-based farming households under individual tenure system. A multi-stage random sampling technique was adopted for this study while data were collected through primary sources. The sample size consists of male and female headed households for individual tenure respectively making a total of 234 cassava farming household respondents. Descriptive statistics as well as multiple regression technique were employed in analyzing the field data. Male headed households demanded and supplied more cassava tubers than the female headed households. Again, quantity of cassava tubers demanded were higher than that supplied in male headed households than their female counterparts. Results show that farm income, farm size, farming experience, membership of co-operative organisation, access to credit, extension contact and extent of produce commercialization were factors that affect food security among female headed households involved in Individual Land Tenure System. Land policies should be aimed at making land free for female headed farm households for farming.

Keywords: Abia State, Food Security, Tenure system