Effects of Climate-Smart Agriculture on Rice Farmers’ Food Security: Evidence from Nigeria

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Oba Abdulkadir Ibrahim 1
Hussein Abdullahi 2
Kayode Afolabi 3
Suleiman Shuaib 3
Kamorudeen Fatai 2
Rahmatallahi Adisa 4
1 Department of Life Science Education, Kwara State University of Education, Ilorin, Nigeria.
2 Department of Vocational and Technical Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
3 Department of Science Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
4 Department of Agricultural Extension Services, Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria.
Abstract
This study assessed the effects of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices on the household food security of smallholder rice farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. It is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Multistage sampling procedure involving three stages was used to select 424 samples from a population of 3,727 smallholder rice farmers across three rice production zones in Kwara State. The study raised and answered four research questions and tested one null hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), designed by the USAID, was adapted to measure household food security. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Also, regression analysis was employed to establish the effect of CSA practices on household food security and livelihood indices. The results indicated that CSA practices had a significant positive effect on the household food security of smallholder rice farmers. Specifically, integrated soil fertility management (P= 0.006) and integrated pest management (P= 0.002) practices were found to significantly improve the livelihoods of these farmers by enhancing their household food security. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the smallholder rice farmers maintained high adoption levels of CSA practices to mitigate the adverse effects of household food insecurity stemming from climate change.
Keywords
Adaptation strategies
Environmental science
Food production
Poverty alleviation
Subjects
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Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 28, Issue 4
July and August 2026
Pages 783-796