ASSESSMENT OF HIRED LABOUR USE AND FOOD SECURITY AMONGRURAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the relationship between hired labour use andfood security among rural farming households in Kwara State, Nigeria. Itdetermined the food security status of rural farming households and investigatedthe determinants of hired labour use. A four-stage random sampling technique wasused to select 135 rural farming households from which data were collected withthe use of a well-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, correlationanalysis and the Tobit regression model were the analytical tools used for thestudy. The study revealed that only about half of the households (51.1%) were foodsecure and that there is a positive correlation between the hired labour use and theirfood security status. Dependency ratio, age and educational qualification of thehousehold head, total household size, and household income significantlyinfluenced hired labour use (p 0.01). The study recommends the need foragricultural credit schemes in Nigeria to accord higher priority to older farmers andpoor rural households. In addition, extension education which emphasizesagriculture as a business rather than a mere way of life should be promoted amongfarmers.