Abstract

This study estimates a food insecurity index and examines the factors that influence food insecurity among small farmers in Nigeria. Data for the study were collected from 400 farming households in Osun area of the southwestern Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, a cost of calorie function (COC) and a Tobit regression model were used to analyze the data. A regression model made up of 15 regressors was specified. Eleven of the specified variables were found to have significant influence on food insecurity. A decomposition of the total elasticity change in the dependent variables shows that three of the variables are elastic. The results showed that food insecurity among farming households in south western Nigeria was influenced by agricultural production inputs, remittances received from external members of household, improved asset base and production capacity of the households.

Key words: Food insecurity, determinants, cost of calorie function (COC) function, Tobit, small farmers, Nigeria.