The effect of vulnerability to flood on profitability of farming households in Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Floods are a major obstacle to agriculture and food security of Nigeria. Thus, this study assesses the effect of vulnerability to floods on profitability of farming households in Kwara state, Nigeria.. Descriptive statistics, partial farm budget analyses and t-test were the analytical tools employed to achieve the research objectives. The result indicated that all the enterprises, except sole rice (E1) enterprise yielded a positive average returns to farmer’s labour and management (RLM). The maize/cowpea (E5) enterprise has the highest RLM (N7, 691/ha), while the sole rice (E1) enterprise has a negative RLM (-N4, 481/ha). The, maize/cowpea (E5) and sole rice (E1) enterprises are the most profitable enterprise among the vulnerable and non vulnerable households respectively. Overall the non vulnerable households have a higher estimated RLM than those of the vulnerable households. The t-test showed that the means are significant at 1% level. There is a large and widening vulnerability gap between well-off people and the poor. It is vital to the sustainable development effort that this gap is addressed, as well as vulnerability itself. Policies that reduce the vulnerability of the poor should be given priority. This is in keeping with the general priority being given to poverty reduction as essential to sustainable development. Also, policies that would promote flood insurance schemes, diversification as well as facilitate the development of infrastructures among farming households should therefore be encouraged.