Effect of Food Security Status on Economic Efficiency Among Small Scale Broiler Producers in Southern Taraba State Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effect of food security status on economic efficiency among small-scale broiler producers in Southern Taraba State, Nigeria. Specifically, it described the socioeconomic characteristics of broiler farmers, assessed their food security status, analyzed the cost and returns of broiler production, and analyzed effect of food security on broiler production. Primary data were collected from 138 respondents using a structured questionnaire through a multi-stage sampling technique. Analytical tools employed included descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, food security index, enterprise budgeting, and the stochastic frontier production function. Results showed that the average age of broiler farmers was 35 years, with most having formal education and moderate household sizes. About 76.8% of households were food secure, with a food security index of 2.7 and an average daily calorie intake significantly above the recommended threshold. Profitability indicators such as a net return on investment of 1.4 and a profitability index of 0.6 confirmed that broiler production is economically viable and the average economic efficiency was estimated at 66%. Key determinants of economic efficiency included cost of day-old chicks (0.7718191), feed (0.1091954), water (-0.0318129), and litter material (0.0118794), while age (-0.0043665), sex (0.0612589), household size (0.0099204), and food security status (0.1173318) significantly influenced inefficiency. The study concludes that food security enhances broiler producers’ economic efficiency, with food-secure farmers performing better than food-insecure ones. It recommends policies enhancing farmers’ welfare, stable input supply, feed management training, and credit access to improve both food security and production efficiency in the study area.