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The study was carried out to determine the profitability and technical efficiency of broiler production in North-central, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was employed in the selection of 156 respondents. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, budget technique and Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production model. The result of the study reveals that the average age of a broiler farmer in the study area was 43 years with a minimum of secondary school education, 10 years of experience in broiler production and an average family size was 7 members. With an average stock of 396 birds, the gross revenue was ₦ 1,766,578, the total cost was ₦1,660,254, and gross margin recorded was ₦106,324. The estimate of the production model revealed that initial stock, feeds, and medication were the significant inputs that influenced the production of broilers. The technical efficiency estimates of the broiler farmers ranged from 78% and 100% with a mean technical efficiency of 92.5%. The high cost of feeds, which constituted 76% of the total variable cost, was identified as the major constraint to broiler production. It is therefore recommended that initiatives that could drastically reduce market price of feeds should be implemented by relevant agencies of governments and NGOs.

The study analyzed the socio-economic determinants of organic manuring practices by farmers in Southern Agricultural Zone of Nasarawa state, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of respondents in the area; identify the type of organic manure used by the respondents; determine the effect of socio-economic characteristics on the use of organic manure. A multi-stage sampling technique was used in the selection of samples for the study. Fifteen farmers from each of the six selected villages were purposively selected on the basis of their use of organic manure for a total of 90 respondents for the study. Data were obtained from primary sources. The primary source was by personal interview and discussion using structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression model was used to analyze data collected for this research. The first, second and fourth objectives were achieved using simple descriptive statistics such as frequency, percent and mean, while the third objective was achieved using multiple linear regression analysis. The study revealed that majority or 61.1% of the respondents were in the age bracket of 20-39 years old, which indicates that they were young and active who could engage in organic manure practices. The result on the type of organic manure indicated that cattle dung and green manure representing 48.9% and 38.9% were the major source of manure used by the respondents. The result of socio-economic determinant further revealed that about 69% of the variation in use of organic manure, while the significant determinants were age and membership of cooperative society both at 10% and 5% respectively. Therefore, the study recommend that Enlightenment campaigns should be done through change agents to sensitize farmers in the study area about the benefit of using organic manure for crop production as this will improve farmer’s attitude towards the adoption of sustainable land management practices.

This study examined the determinants of vulnerability of headed households to food insecurity in Lafia Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria: A gender based analysis. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of male and female headed households in the study area; identify the determinants of vulnerability of households to food insecurity and identify the effects of food insecurity on male and female headed households in Lafia Local Government Area. A two-stage sampling technique was adopted to select the respondents. The data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency counts and percentages, t-test and linear regression. Majority of male and female headed households had secondary education and low income level. The result also indicated that there was significance difference in the effects between male and female headed households in the study area, implying that the female headed households are more vulnerable to the determinants of food insecurity compare to the male headed households. The result also revealed that the effect of the independent variables which are the determinants of vulnerability of headed households to food insecurity indicated that three variables, farm size, educational level and income level had a positive relationship, while sex (gender), marital status, occupation, type of labour and access to extension had a negative relationship. The R2 = 0.196 implies that about 20% of the analysis predicted that the independent variables were selected on the level of headed household’s food insecurity effect on vulnerability to food insecurity. The result therefore recommended for further studies to be conducted on the area of food security by considering detail and accurate information on various variables including political, climatic and weather (rainfall and temperature), topography, natural disasters, ecological conditions and other factors that affect food security.

The study was conducted to analyze rice production under the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 160 rice farmers made up of 80 participants of YES and 80 non participants. Primary data were collected through the use of structured questionnaires and personal interview. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, linear regression and t-test. Majority of the respondents were less than 31 years and 31 to 40 years for participants and non participants, respectively. The respondents were mostly males and married with a minimum of secondary school education. Majority (62.5%) and (70%) of the participants and non participants, respectively were engaged in farming as main occupation, with less than 7 years farming experience and cultivating less than three hectares of land. Annual income and farm size had positive and significant effect on rice production with an R 2 value of 0.895. There was no significant difference (t=0.265 ; p> 0.05) between the yield of participants and non participants. Inadequate funds, high cost of agrochemicals, and inadequate extension services were the serious constraints to rice production. The study therefore, recommends that more efforts need to be put in place by government and all relevant stakeholders to provide adequate funds, agrochemicals and extension services. Keywords : Rice Production, Youth Empowerment Scheme, Agricultural Transformation