ASSESSMENT OF INCOME DIVERSIFICATION LEVELS AMONG SMALL-SCALE FARMERS IN YOBE STATE

This study aims to assess the level of income diversification among Yobe State small-scale farmers. Primary data was collected through a face-to-face survey-based approach through a multistage sampling technique, where 384 small-scale farmers were interviewed. The data were analyzed using statistical package for social science software (SPSS) version 26 for the descriptive analysis of the frequency distribution table, regression analysis and the Simpson Index of Diversification (SID) to test the study's aims and objectives. The results revealed that the respondents engaged in both On-farm and Non-farm livelihood diversification strategies. The overall SID of Non-farm diversification indicated that the respondents had a medium diversification index of 0.55, this primarily driven by participation in wage employment outside agriculture and self-employment. The on-farm diversification index was 0.30, indicating lower diversification than the Non-farm. This lower index is determined mainly by both food crops and cash crops. The study further revealed that small-scale farmers income diversification is influenced by the predictor factors of the farming operation system, average annual income in naira, age, farmland ownership, marital status, farm size, educational level, household size, and farming experience. The study concluded that the lower diversification index of On-farm could be due to the unpredictable risks associated with farming, making it less viable and turning farmers to off-farm activities as a means of coping strategies. And the Non-farm has a medium diversification index. This shows how important Non-farm is in stabilizing small-scale farmers' income and livelihood and signifies the potential risk facing the agricultural productivity in the study area.