Risk aversion among farmers of the national program for food security in Imo State Southeast Nigeria

Type Journal Article - Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development
Title Risk aversion among farmers of the national program for food security in Imo State Southeast Nigeria
Author(s)
Volume 4
Issue 10
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2013
Page numbers 131-137
URL http://pakacademicsearch.com/pdf-files/ech/520/131-137 Vol 4, No 10 (2013).pdf
Abstract
The study examined the relationship between the socioeconomic variables and risk aversion coefficients of
farmers of the national program for food security in Imo State. Purposive and simple random sampling
techniques were used to select 76 respondents. Questionnaire and interview schedule were the instruments used
to collect data. Descriptive statistics, risk aversion index and econometric tool were used to analyze data. The
result which shows that the respondents have a mean age of 56 years, mean formal education of 10 years, mean
household size of 9 persons, mean farm experience of 29 years and a male dominated farming enterprise is an
indication of favourable socioeconomic features of the farmers. Majority of the farmers were risk averters as
they had negative risk coefficients. Farm size, number of contact with extension agents, amount of available
capital, and amount of farm income were found to influence the risk coefficient of the farmers in the state. Since
farmers attitude to risk have been identified as major determinants of the rate of participation in new
technologies among the farmers and of the outcome of agricultural development programs, risk attitude of rural
farmers should be considered in intervention policies aimed at ensuring the success of rural development
programs.

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