ASSESSING THE CONTRIBUTION OF PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS PROGRAMME ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN NORTHERN REGION

Food security is at the forefront of every global agenda especially in developing countries where most people are vulnerable to food insecurity. Globally, about 820 million people are food insecure, highlighting the enormous difficulty of accomplishing the SDGs Zero Hunger agenda. Several agricultural policies have been implemented in line with regional efforts to lessen the prevalence of food insecurity, with the goal of accelerating agricultural growth and enhancing food security level in northern region yet these have not yielded the desired results. This study evaluated the contribution of PFJ programme on food security. The objectives are to identify factors that influence farmer’s decision to participate in PFJ as well as to examine the effects of participation on households’ food security and to ascertain the challenges to PFJ participation by farmers in northern region. This study employed a cross sectional survey using sample size of 400 farmers (200 PFJ participants and 200 non-participants) who were selected through multi-stage sampling procedure. The determinants of participation and extent of PFJ contribution to household food security were analyzed using Endogenous Switching Regression Model whiles Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance was used to analyze household head constraints to PFJ participation. The results obtained showed that age, education, landownership, farm-income, farmer field school demonstration and political affiliation positively influenced participation. Furthermore, the results indicated that participant farmer households were food secured than nonparticipants. Participant households’ VSLA membership, farm size, Farmer Based Organization membership and non-farm income positively influenced food security status whereas education and farm experience negatively influenced households’ food security. Kendall Coefficient of Concordance results revealed that late distribution of fertilizer was the most challenged constraint while inadequate equipment for harvesting was the least constraint. The study recommends that government through Ministry of Foods and Agriculture should reinforce PFJ implementation for all-inclusive participation, ensure private sector involvement in inputs distribution and intensify field demonstration. To enhance farmers’ food security status, Ministry of Food and Agriculture policies should allocate sufficient resources both human and capital to strengthen PFJ programme implementation to sustain the tremendous positive contribution to household food security.