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Research Article Volume 10 Issue 3
Food security and livelihood diversification among cassava-based farming households in ido local government area, Oyo State, Nigeria
Fasakin Idowu James, Fasipe K, Omobowale Ayoola Oni
Received: August 15, 2026 | Published: September 2, 2026
Citation: James FI, Fasipe K, Oni OA. Food security and livelihood diversification among cassava-based farming households in ido local government area, Oyo State, Nigeria. Horticult Int J. 2026;10(3):76-86. DOI: 10.15406/hij.2026.10.00362
Abstract
Food insecurity remains a critical development challenge among rural cassava-farming households in southwestern Nigeria, where livelihood strategies remain predominantly subsistence-oriented and vulnerable to climatic and economic shocks. This study examines food security status and the role of livelihood diversification among cassava-based farming households in the Ido Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State, Nigeria. Using a three-stage sampling procedure, primary data were collected from 150 cassava-farming households through structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, the Herfindahl- Hirschman Index (HHI), the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) poverty indices, and an ordered probit regression model were employed for data analysis. Endogeneity was tested using the Durbin-Wu-Hausman test, and multicollinearity was assessed using Variance Inflation Factors (VIFs). Results show that 47.33% of households were core food-insecure, 19.33% were moderately food-poor, and only 33.33% were food-secure. The FGT indices confirmed a food insecurity incidence of 30.5%, a depth of 10.8%, and a severity of 4.7%. A majority (71.33%) of respondents recorded a low livelihood diversification index, while 28.67% achieved a high index. The ordered probit regression revealed that age (p < 0.01), household size (p < 0.01), farming experience (p < 0.05), years of education (p < 0.10), and access to farm training (p < 0.10) significantly influenced household food security status. Policy interventions should implement household-size-sensitive social protection measures, promote education and vocational skills development, and prioritise integrated agricultural capacity and vocational training to strengthen diversification capacity and reduce food insecurity among rural farming households.
Keywords: cassava farming households, food insecurity, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke indices, livelihood diversification, Nigeria, ordered probit model
©2026 James, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.