ABSTRACT

The study focused on agricultural risk management strategies needed by farmers for sustainable crop production in Enugu State. The specific purposes ofthis study were to determine: risk management strategies needed by farmers for mitigating the risks of climate change, strategies needed by farmers for managing the risks of pests and diseases, management strategies needed by farmers for coping with crop farmers and herdsmen conflict, fire risk management strategies needed by farmers, strategies needed by farmers in managing incidence oftheft and strategies needed by farmers in managing market risks. Six research questions were stated in consonance with the purpose of the study and six null hypothesis were formulated and tested. The study adopted survey research design. The study was carried out in Enugu State. The population ofthe study is 7761 persons comprising of 7732 registered crop farmers with Enugu Sate Agricultural Development Programme (ENADEP) and all the twenty nine (29) Extension Agents in the six agricultural zones of the state. Based on Taro-Yamene’s formula for determining sample size from a known population and multi-stage sampling procedure, a total sample size of 380 respondents was drawn across the six agricultural zones of Enugu state and this constituted the sample size for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: Agricultural Risk Management Strategies Questionnaire (ARMSQ) and was validated by three experts, two from Department of Agricultural and Home Science Education (Agricultural Education Unit) and one from Department of Rural Sociology and Extension. The reliability of the instrument was determined using trial test method and data obtained were analyzed using Cronbach-alpha statistics with a reliability index of 0.83. Data obtained for the study was analyzed using arithmetic mean and standard deviation based on 4 point rating scale to answer the research questions while t-Test statistic was used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings showed that 19 items were agreed as agricultural risk management strategies needed by farmers for mitigating the risks of climate change; 13 on pest and diseases 6 on risks of crop farmers and herdsmen conflict; 8 on fire risks; 8 on farm theft and 14 on market risks management strategies needed by farmers for sustainable crop production in Enugu state. Findings also showed that there was no significant difference between the mean ratings of farmers and extension agents on agricultural risk management strategies (flood/drought, pest and diseases, crop farmers and herdsmen conflict, fire risks, farm theft and market risks) needed by farmers for sustainable crop production. It was thus recommended among others that the board of management of Research institutes should make information available on time on the agricultural risk management strategies for mitigating the risks of climate change as it will encourage effective participation of farmers in agriculture for sustainable crop production.