ABSTRACT

Today, worldwide changes have shifted agriculture’s focus beyond food and fibre production towards goals of improving public health, social wellbeing and the environment. Agriculture is playing the roles of delivering nutritional, pharmaceutical and biobased products among others. Over the last century, productivity has been a major focus of agricultural research. These researches have paid off with major productivity changes. This study focused on the Agricultural productivity effects on consumption, nutrition and health status of rural households in Abia State. Both primary and secondary data were collected and used for the study. Primary data were derived from responses of respondents which were solicited and collected with the use of well structured questionnaire. Some data were collected on cross sectional basis while panel data were collected for some of the variables on fortnightly basis from June to October, 2004. Multistage sampling technique was adopted in sample selection. Data were analysed with the use of statistical and econometric tools such as simple descriptive statistics, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Multiple Regression analysis, 2-Stage Least Squares (2-SLS) and correlation Analysis. Findings show that the labour force engaged in agriculture is aging. Households are headed not only by men but also by women who earn lower incomes relatively. Majority of the household heads were found to be illiterates and the households were mainly farming households. Incomes were found to be generally low and farm sizes cultivated low as well. The farmers were found to be experienced. Consumption expenditure was found to be higher than the mean income. The nutritional status of both children and adults were found to be poor while agricultural productivity was low. The determinants of consumption expenditure were identified to include household size, age and sex of household heads while nutritional status is determined by level of education of mothers, availability of nutrition information, and consumption expenditure. Agricultural productivity is determined by labour, health status, consumption expenditure and to a lesser extent, the nutritional < status of the respondents. Health status is determined by age, income and access to medical facilities. It was recommended that education especially adult education be encouraged. Education should have nutrition component. Youths should be encouraged to practice agriculture, while school launch programme should be introduced to cater for the nutritional needs of the children who are the most vulnerable group