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Effect Of 2012 Flood Disaster On The Socio-economic Characteristics Of Cassava Farmers
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Also after experiencing a devastating flood that resulted in displacing
several hundred of thousands of people in 1998 the Kumadugu Yobe Ualley
(northern Nigeria) was flooded again in 2001, Madiodio et al. (2004).
A
substantial part of the population depends on agriculture for its
livelihood. These substantial parts of the population are the rural
farmers causing a vicious circle of poverty and adding to the risk,
damage and stress of disasters. These rural farmers are exposed to
natural disasters because they tend to live in marginal areas and depend
on high-risk, low return livelihood systems such as rain-fed
agriculture and face many sources of vulnerability including little
physical infrastructure.
Today, Nigeria is suffering from low
agricultural output and this could be due to t he effect of natural
disasters on the rural farmers. The rural farmers have suffered
seriously during the occurrence of these disasters in the past and
present. Not only do these disasters destroy crops and disrupt food
supplies, they also affect land quality and production potentials
(Stephenson 1994). Farmlands and houses have been washed off by erosion
in the northern and southern parts of the country and these rural
farmers have more or less been rendered jobless too because of the
effects of these natural disasters causing rural-urban migration (Nyong,
2005). Pest and diseases migrate in response to climatic variation and
will potentially pose a threat to livestock when they move to areas
where there is flood to areas of drier regions. It can also lead to
aberration in the animal mating habits.
The purpose of this study is
to identify the effect of the 2012 flood disaster on the socio-economic
characteristics of cassava farmers in Etsako East Local Government area
of Edo State. According to Saldana-Zorrilla (2003) economic
vulnerability makes presence through decrease in the income of rural
farmers. The study will analyse the level of change of the rural farmers
income caused by the flood and how this will affect the rural farmers
and cassava production.
Statement of the Problem
Natural
disasters, such as the occurrence of flood, cause much misery,
especially in developing countries where low-income earners undergo
great stress. Losses due to floods reduce the asset base of households,
communities and societies through the destruction of standing crops,
dwellings, infrastructure, machinery and buildings in addition to tragic
loss of life.
Occurrence of flood have led to crop failure, famine,
loss of property, mass migration and negative economic growth and this
in turn affects the household income of the rural farmers that depend on
agriculture as their means of livelihood (Adedipe et al, 1997). The
occurrence of flood disasters are becoming destructive to the rural
farmers as they drive these rural farmers out of business and possibly
increase the migration from rural areas (Chukuezi 2008). Because of
this, the need for re-orienting resulting in agricultural decision
making and insulation of the rural farmers from adverse impacts of flood
disasters has become more pressing.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The study examined the effect of flood disaster on the socio-economic characteristics or cassava farmers in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.Simple random sampling procedure was used to select 100 respondent from four communities. A well structured interview schedule was used to obtain data. Descriptive statistics, and t-test were employed in the analysis.The results showed that there were more male farmers in the study area when female farmers. Most of the farmers were married and ... Continue reading---
