The Role of Smallholder Farmers in Enhancing Food Security in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State

Abstract

This study investigated the role of smallholder farmers in enhancing food security in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State. A structured questionnaire was administered to 400 hundred respondents that were selected from four wards in the Local Government Area. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data. The study revealed that 60.0% of the smallholder farmers were engaged in the production of grains such as maize, rice and beans and 7.9 % of them were engaged in livestock production. They attributed the low proportion of smallholder farmers engaged in livestock production to the high cost associated with livestock farming and the corresponding lack of skills in livestock production. In all, 27.9% of the smallholder farmers indicated that the most significant challenge faced by the smallholder farmers was lack of access to credit facilities. The study suggested the need for government at all levels to provide affordable credit facilities to the farmers to enhance their productive capacities. Also, the both the state and Local Government should create policies that will ensure the prioritization of the needs of smallholder farmers through the provision of grants, technical assistance and livelihood infrastructure.