EFFECT OF CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE ON THE FOOD SECURITY STATUS OF CASSAVA FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN KOGI STATE NIGERIA

This study assessed the effects of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) on the food security status of cassava farming households in Kogi State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents for the study. Descriptive statistics, multivariate and probit regression models were used to analyze the data. Findings showed that 67.50% were male with a mean age of 46 years. About 60 % were married, with an average household size of 7. The mean farming experience is 11 years. Organic manuring, early planting, mixed cropping, minimum tillage and crop rotation were the major climate-smart agricultural practices adopted by the farmers. Multivariate regression analysis showed that household size, contact with extension service, education and membership of farmers association were the significant factors influencing the utilization of CSA practices. The result further showed that 42.50%, 27.50%, 22.50% and 7.50% of the households were marginally, low, very low and highly food secure, respectively. Estimates of the Probit regression on the effect of CSA practices adoption on farming households food security revealed that sex, household size, farm size andnumber of CSAs utilized significantly influenced households` food security. It is recommended that effective scaling of CSA is vital for the rural farming households food security status.