Effects of Climate-Smart Agriculture on Rice Farmers’ Food Security: Evidence from Nigeria

This study assessed the effects of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices on the household food security of smallholder rice farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. It is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Multistage sampling procedure involving three stages was used to select ۴۲۴ samples from a population of ۳,۷۲۷ smallholder rice farmers across three rice production zones in Kwara State. The study raised and answered four research questions and tested one null hypothesis at a ۰.۰۵ level of significance. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), designed by the USAID, was adapted to measure household food security. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Also, regression analysis was employed to establish the effect of CSA practices on household food security and livelihood indices. The results indicated that CSA practices had a significant positive effect on the household food security of smallholder rice farmers. Specifically, integrated soil fertility management (P= ۰.۰۰۶) and integrated pest management (P= ۰.۰۰۲) practices were found to significantly improve the livelihoods of these farmers by enhancing their household food security. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the smallholder rice farmers maintained high adoption levels of CSA practices to mitigate the adverse effects of household food insecurity stemming from climate change.

کلیدواژه ها:

Adaptation strategies ، Environmental science ، Food production ، Poverty Alleviation