EFFECT OF HOME GARDEN ON HOUSEHOLDS' FOOD SECURITY IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of home garden on households’ food security in Ondo State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 190 households for the study. Data were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire, and the information gathered was analysed with descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation. A 3-point Likert scale was employed to ascertain households’ perceptions of home garden contributions to households’ food security. A probit regression model was used to analyze factors influencing households’ participation in home gardens, and an independent sample t-test was used to test the stated hypothesis for the study. Results revealed that, mean age of home gardeners was 46.9±6.7 years, 60.5% were male, and 61.1% were married, with a household size of 10.0±3.0 members, and 55.3% had primary education. It was discovered that home garden promotes access to food, as a means of livelihood and enhance food security in the households. Home garden was found to be confronted with inadequate land and capital, inputs, pilfering or theft of crops. The probit regression results indicated that age, gender, access to inputs, size of garden and distance to the home were the significant variables influencing participation in home garden in the study area. The independent sample t-test showed that there was no significant difference between the contributions of home gardens to households’ food security based on gender.  Hence, access to credit and access to inputs should be encouraged, while more available land in the environment should be acquired for gardens among participating households to increase food production.