EFFECTS OF POST-HARVEST LOSSES ON POVERTY STATUS OF VEGETABLE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study focused on effects of post-harvest losses on poverty status of vegetable farmers in Kano State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used for sample selection and six (6) Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly selected from the list of the major vegetable producing LGAs in the State. Vegetable farmers that practice the production of both tomatoes and onions were identified and purposively selected and included in the study making a total of 192 respondents. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean, minimum, maximum, cross-tabulation, Post-harvest loss estimation (PHLE) model, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) model, and T-test. The results of the socioeconomic characteristics analysis revealed that, 83.9%, 82.3%, and 96.9% of the vegetable farmers were males, married and were within an active working age (15-60yrs) respectively. The farmers indicated vegetable farming as their major source of income (81.2% of the respondents) and only 3.6% of the respondents had formal education up to the tertiary level. Among the two enterprises examined, the mean value of loss per hectare for Tomato was ₦120,905.2, and that of Onion was ₦36,860.16. For the two enterprises combined, the mean value of loss was ₦157,765.3 with a Post-harvest loss index (PHLI) value of 0.25. The study also revealed poverty incidence among vegetable farmers in the study area was 59.9% of the total respondents. From the households that were determined to be poor, 35.7% were only poor because of the post-harvest losses they incurred. It can be concluded based on the findings of this research that, post-harvest losses significantly affect the poverty status of the vegetable farming households in the study area. To reduce problems associated with post-harvest losses and its effects on poverty status, the study recommends improvement in the traditional harvesting and storage methods coupled with improved management practices, training farmers on integrated pest management as well as on post-harvest handling and storage of the crops they handle as this could go a long way to reduce poverty prevalence among the vegetable farmers.