HIV/AIDS SCOURGE AND AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT An empirical study of infected and affected farm families in ukum local government area of Benue State.

This paper examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on Agricultural output among the infected and affected farm families in UKUM local government area of Benue state. The state is endowed with fertile land which has given rise to a variety of agricultural products and able bodied young population to provide manpower to the agricultural sector. But unfortunately, agricultural production is in the decline in the state and several factors such as high cost of inputs, poor infrastructural facilities, inconsistencies in government policies among others have been attributed for the decline. Little or no attention has been paid to the impact of HIV/AIDS on agricultural output in UKUM local government area of Benue state. The Snowball sampling method was adopted for the study because of the stigma associated with the disease. Structured questionnaires were employed to collect information which was analyzed using various statistical tools such as tables, simple percentages and frequencies. The study found that HIV/AIDS has a significant negative effect on agricultural output in UKUM local government area of Benue state. The widespread loss of active adults affects the ability of the society to reproduce and maintain itself. The paper concludes that the epidemic impedes sustainable human development by destroying the family as the basic unit of society, weakening the educational system, which nurtures the next generation of leaders, threatening agricultural productivity and food security.