Background: Empowering women, land tilting to enhance the security of Land Tenure and Property Rights (LTPRs) in agriculture vis-a-vis food and nutrition security are crucial in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. The main goal of this paper is to examine the crucial roles of women’s empowerment and LTPRs as they affect household food security among smallholder farmers in Nigeria. Methodology: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1152 maize and rice farmers, selected by multistage random sampling across 192 communities, 16 States and the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The data were collected on households’ socio-economics, food security situations, empowerment and LTPRs on parcels cultivated during the 2016/17 farming season by interviewing the adult members of the farmers’ households. HFS was assessed using the United States Department of Agriculture’ HFS Survey Module and Food and Agriculture Organization guidelines for measuring Household Dietary Diversity Score. LTPRs were measured in terms of tenure type and title registration to farmlands. HFS modelling was within the framework of Poisson, Instrumental Variable Poisson (IVP) and Zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression methods, with endogeneity concerns and choice of specification addressed within Hausman specification tests. Results: The results of the study show that households that have a share of farmland on purchase and also participate in off-farm activities are likely to be certainly food-secure in all regards. Crop diversity, households that cultivate maize only, the share of farmland on purchase and access to extension contact significantly reduce the severity of food insecurity while an increase in farm size increases the severity of food insecurity. Similarly, IV Poisson and ZIP Count results show that increase in the farm size results in the severity of food insecurity. The evidence with respect to women’s empowerment reveals that gender parity and female achievement in group membership, income control, as well as workload; reduce the extent of food insecurity among the farming households in Nigeria. We, however, discover that the female achievement in the productive decision and credit increases the severity of food insecurity among the smallholder farmers. The analyses also reveal that education of the household head, female achievement in the asset; group membership and workload are the major factors that positively influenced household dietary diversity. Conclusion: The study suggests the adoption of climate-smart practices to overcome the issue of marginal farmlands, promotion of crop and livelihood diversification among the smallholder farmers, effective extension services delivery, and improving women’s access to productive resources to enhance household food security status in Nigeria.

We used choice experiment data collected from 542 farmers in Nigeria to assess smallholders’ preferences for shifting to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA). Results suggest that the higher the size of the incentive, the more the likelihood of farmers’ willingness to invest in CSA schemes. Similarly, the farmers were in favor of community development associations and non-governmental organizations-managed schemes over other project managements and also prefer government-based institutions as opposed to the private sector. Willingness to accept results suggest that an average farmer is willing to accept $540/ha/year and $386/ha/year to embrace good agricultural practices (GAPs) with and without manure application.

This study analyzed the drivers of the profitability of broiler farms in the north-central and south-west geo-political zones of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to choose a representative sample. A pre-tested, structured questionnaire was employed to gather cross-sectional data from 645 respondents between November 2017 and February 2018 for 2017 production year by trained enumerators. The data were analyzed with budgetary model, descriptive and inferential statistics. The results show that feed constitute about 75% of the total variable cost of producing 1 kg of the broiler. The cost implication of producing 1 kg of broiler stood at ₦583.20, while revenue realized from the sales of the same quantity of broiler was ₦734.69. The study further revealed that broiler farming is a profitable enterprise with profitability index of 39.85%. Furthermore, the positive drivers of profitability of broiler farms are years of experience of farmers, flock size, other means of livelihood, process broiler, and membership of the poultry association of Nigeria (PAN). Types of feed used and access to credit had a negative effect on the profitability of broiler farms. There will be a need to motivate farmers to increase their flock sizes by subsidizing high-quality day-old chicks, feed, and feed ingredients as well as other facilities. Research efforts should also focus on the development of efficient locally-made processing facilities to improve on the value addition activities of farmers thereby increasing the profitability of the farms. The enforcement of the policy on credit provision to farmers at a reasonable interest rate by commercial banks becomes crucial. In addition, it is suggested that farmers be encouraged to join PAN to increase the profitability of broiler farms.

The poultry industry contributes significantly to the development of Nigeria’s economy. Unfortunately, poultry farmers like other farmers are faced with a variety of income fluctuations arising from risks associated with the enterprise. Hence, this study investigated risk perceptions and risk management strategies among poultry farmers. Respondents were selected using multi-stage sampling techniques. The techniques resulted to selection of 263 commercial poultry farmers who provided us with relevant information with the aid of pre-tested questionnaire. The information gathered was analysed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis and linear regression models. Results showed that production risk, financial risk and human risk were perceived by farmers as most important in poultry business. Farmers have adopted disease prevention and financial management strategies to mitigate the effects of various risks. The analysis further showed that years of experience in poultry business, value of poultry and production risk are important determinants of disease prevention and financial management strategies adopted by the respondents. Factors that determine only disease prevention strategy are years of schooling, household size and human risk, while respondents’ sex and financial risk are the determinants of financial strategy. Policies on risk management in poultry should be targeted at farmers’ socio-economic characteristics and risk perceptions so as to enhance the growth potentials of poultry farmers and prevent collapse of the poultry industry.

Ending poverty in all its forms and in all places by 2030 is number one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, in less than a decade to the time set for actualizing this goal, poverty is still pervasive in Nigeria and more endemic among farmers in rural areas. Entrepreneurship is seen as a veritable tool to alleviate poverty and stimulate economic growth in some developing countries including Nigeria. Howbeit, little is known about the relationship between farmers’ entrepreneurial competencies and poverty. Thus, this study examined the effects of farmers’ entrepreneurial competencies on household poverty status in rural areas of Kwara State, Nigeria. A three-stage sampling procedure was employed in selecting 272 farm households, with at least a member who was engaged in at least one other means of livelihood (enterprise). Data were collected between February and March 2019 and analysed with descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Foster, Greer, and Thorbecke (FGT) weighted poverty indices and probit regression at p = 0.05. At a daily poverty line of $1.90 (₦684.00) per capita, 55.15% of the households were poor. The findings indicate that poverty among farm households varied with their level of entrepreneurial competencies. Perseverance competence significantly increased household poverty, while social competence reduced it. The findings suggest poverty reduction strategies that come directly from farmers’ own initiative and their resilience which is rural focused regardless of other challenges that may exist.

Livestock sub-sector of agriculture plays a vital role in the development of emerging economies in terms of provision of high quality protein and employment generation through its value chain activities. Yet, little is known about value chain development in this important sub-sector of the Nigeria economy. Hence, this study assessed Broiler Value Chain (BVC) in Nigeria. Primary data were collected from various actors along the value chain between November 2017 and March, 2018. Nigeria BVC is relatively simple with only five main actors. Grandparent Stock (GPS) farmers supply breeder Day Old Chicks (DOCs) to Parent Stock (PS) farmers. PS farmers supply commercial DOCs to commercial broiler farmers. Commercial farmers sell mature broilers to mature live broiler marketers (63%) and processors (37%). Processors sell processed meat to household consumers (12%) and 88% to fast food outlets, hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets with no export who in turn sell to individual and household consumers. High cost of feed, lack of credit facilities, and weak infrastructure were the major constraints facing production, marketing, and processing of broilers, respectively. Policies aiming at the development of BVC should focus on low/no export of broiler meat and high import of materials as well as other constraints.