ABSTRACT
The issue of food unavailability and inaccessibility has been described as a rising threat and problem to human nutrition in Nigeria. This is in spite of the country’s vast environmental suitability for the food production. Hence, there is a need for a food production plan that will benefit households by giving them access to the consumption of fresh food stuffs, including those not available in their localities, with minimal to zero loss, offering better consumption patterns and level. This study was conducted to assess the contribution of backyard farming of vegetablesto householdconsumption in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the socio-economic characteristics of backyard vegetables farming households; determine the food consumption pattern and level of households; determine the contribution of vegetables from backyard farms to household food consumption; determine constraints affecting household food consumption;.
A sample size of 80 households were randomly sampled for the study. Data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation and logistic regression model.
Result of the study showed that many household heads were females and many were married with an average household size of 5 persons. The highest education level obtained by most respondents was secondary education level (51.2%) with 80% having 1 – 10 years’ experience in backyard vegetable farming. Results on consumption pattern and level showed that majority (85%) of the respondents could afford 3 square meals a day and that majority (76.3%) of the respondents were of acceptable food consumption level (>15). Backyard vegetable farming was found to contributed significantly (12.19%) to household consumption level and caused a significantly positive effect (t-value =13.207 r=0.000; p<0.01) at 1% level of significance on household consumption. The serious constraints affecting household consumption level were, Number of dependent members of household (=2.49), cut off remittances for relatives not staying in household (=2.32) and employment status of bread winner (2.02) and the major contributors to household consumption level were vegetables from backyard farming and purchase from other sources.
