Adoption of yield increasing technologies among farming households is one way of improving food insecurity. This study assessed the impact of Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) improved production technology on the food security status of cassava-based farming households in Southwest, Nigeria. The data for the study were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire through a multistage sampling technique. A total of 540 households were sampled comprising RTEP beneficiaries (RTEP), Non-RTEP beneficiaries within RTEP LGAs (NRTEPW) and Non-RTEP beneficiaries living outside RTEP LGAs (NRTEPO). The data were analyzed using Propensity Score Matching, descriptive statistics and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke model. There were 387 households with similar characteristics were used for analysis in the study. The mean per capita household food expenditure (MPCHHFE) was ₦172726.53 while the food insecurity line was ₦20132.22 per annum. The food insecurity incidence of RTEP was lower than that of the non-beneficiaries, this reveals that RTEP improved production technology has the potential to improve food security. The FGT food insecurity indices of the beneficiaries declined due to participation in the programme. The food insecurity incidence reduced by 16.27%, 12.02% and 21.54% when compared with ANRTEP, NRTEPW and NRTEPO respectively. This suggests that the cassava production technology promoted under the programme is food insecurity reducing, therefore, there should be further sensitization on this technology to improve food security.

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Research background: Strengthening agriculture and food systems have a critical role to play in achieving the sustainable development goals of eliminating hunger and poverty; and increasing resilience to climatic shocks. Crop diversification has been recognized as a way of increasing resilience and reducing agricultural risk. Closing the gender gap could boost agricultural productivity and enhance welfare. Effects of crop diversification in enhancing dietary diversity amidst gender gap in agricultural productivity among smallholders have not been well established in Nigeria. Purpose of the article: The study was conducted to provide empirical evidence on crop diversification, productivity and dietary diversity of male and female-headed farming households in Nigeria. This has policy implications on development of inclusive and efficient agrifood system towards achieving the SDGs of eradicating poverty, hunger and gender equality. Methods: Secondary data from the 2015/16 Living Standard Measurement Survey-Integrated Survey on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) was used for this study. Tobit regression model was employed to investigate the factors influencing crop diversification and dietary diversity while Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method was used to decompose gender differentials in agricultural productivity. Findings and value added: Crop diversification index of male farmers is 0.10 (P<0.05) higher than female farmers. The Tobit regression results showed that farm income, education, household size, farm size and use of inorganic fertilizer increased crop diversification (P< 0.01). However, household expenditure (p< 0.05), non-farm income (p< 0.1), age and credit access (P< 0.01) reduced crop diversification. Less than half (45.22%) of the rural households consumed at least nine out of the 12 food groups in the previous week of the survey period. Crop diversification among other factors has a positive (P<0.01) effect on households' dietary diversity. The results of the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition showed a gender productivity gap of 10.87% in favour of male farmers. The structural and endowment disadvantages of female farmers in land size and credit access are key drivers of gender differentials in agricultural productivity. The study suggests improvement in land tenure system and female farmers' access to financial services in order to ensure gender productivity equality, women empowerment and efficient agrifood system.

Gaining better market access is a concern to smallholderfarmers in Africa. This study analyzed the market participationand food security among cassava farmers in SouthWest Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling was employed in theselection of respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptivestatistics, Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) indices, andTobit and logit regression models. The extent of market participationamong the farmers was found to be 0.56 ±0.13. Thelevel of education, off-farm income source, membership ofan association, years of experience, access to market information,age and transportation costs significantly influencedthe extent of market participation. At the food insecurity lineof NGN 20,132.20 per annum, 61.53% of cassava farmerswere food insecure. Food insecurity is significantly affectedby the extent of market participation, gender, access to credit,off-farm income source, yield, household size, primary occupation,household income and access to market information.Therefore, the government and other stakeholders shoulddevote attention to factors that increase market participationand food security among the farmers. In Nigeria, the cassavatransformation project should not be limited to the provisionof improved production technologies but needs to be extendedto storage and marketing strategies in order to provide thefarmers with some guidance on how to deal with market glut.

Malnutrition has been attributed to many deaths among under-five children in most of the developing countries including Nigeria. Understanding the determinants of malnutrition can provide insights in designing interventions for reducing the high rates of child malnutrition. This study focused on what determines the malnutrition of under-five children among rural households in the southwest, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 395 households that had 487 under-five children. Data were collected on child’s, mother’s, household’s and community characteristics using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Information on the child’s nutrition status was obtained using Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tape. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logit model with STATA 14 statistical package. The results revealed that the average age of under-five children was about 25 months and over 50% of them are girls with a malnutrition rate of 44.0%. The child’s sex, the child’s birth interval, cultivated farm size, mother’s education, water source, and distance to nearest health center significantly determined the child’s malnutrition in rural areas of southwest Nigeria. Given the findings of this research, it is suggested that; mothers should be advised to use contraceptives for child spacing; farmers should be enlightened on the need to implement modern farming practices that lead to optimum yield per land cultivated rather than increasing the size of cultivated farmland; there should be an improvement on women’s education as well as a potable water source; and health care facilities close to respondents’ residence should be provided.