Food Security Among Households: Evidence from Yam Production Economics in Oyo State, Nigeria

The study assesses the economics of yam production has a food security crop in Oyo state. The data for the study were collected using interview schedule from 82 yam farmers with the aid of a well structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin and net profit and regression techniques. The study revealed that most farmers are male, virile but with little formal education, they also operate at small scale level. The budgetary analysis revealed that yam production is profitable in the area with an average gross margin and net profit of N24, 688.79 and N22, 790.79, respectively, the value of hired labour, family labour, yam seeds/sets and income from other enterprises significantly affect the value of yam produced. Yam farmers underutilized both land and other miscellaneous input (mulching, staking etc) while labour and yam seed/set were over utilized.