ABSTRACT
This study assesses the effect of income diversification of rice farmers on household food security in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region of Ghana. By income diversification, the study implies the different combination of activities that rice farmers indulge in to earn income. Information on personal as well as household characteristics was obtained from 204 rice farmers in the North Tongu District by the use of semi-structured questionnaires. Depending on their income portfolios, rice farmers (the respondents for this study) were classified into 4 groups; ‘Rice income only’ (no diversification), ‘Rice and other agricultural incomes’, ‘Rice and nonagricultural incomes’ and ‘Rice plus other agricultural and non-agricultural incomes’.
The Multinomial Logit Model was used to estimate the factors affecting the choice of income strategies. Being a household head, household size, the employable skills of the respondents and household expenditure on food were among factors found to be statistically significant determinants of diversification. Respondents’ household food security was measured using the household dietary diversity score (HDDS). The mean dietary diversity score for the sample was 5.81, implying consumption of nearly 6 out of the reference 12 food groups by the sampled households. Majority of the households had moderate dietary diversity with scores between 5-7. Dietary diversity was significantly correlated with per capita food expenditure and farmer income, both of which are also indicators of food security. The Poisson Regression was used to model the effect of income diversification on food security, measured as dietary diversity. All the 3 diversification strategies had a positive and significant effect on household dietary diversity. However, engaging in ‘Rice and non-agricultural’ activities had the most pronounced effect. The study concluded that income diversification indeed had a positive effect on food security and that attainment of high food security was associated with diversification into non-agricultural activities. The study recommends that farmer-field workshops should be organized periodically in the area to train farmers to equip them with non-farm skills so they can explore other opportunities outside of farming. Also, farmer awareness on the need for crop diversification and livestock production should be intensified in the area.
