ANALYSIS OF LIVELIHOOD AMONG FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN LAFIA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the Analysis of Livelihoods Among Farming Households in Lafia Local Government Area, Nigeria. Livelihood refers to the means and strategies by which individuals and households secure their basic needs, such as food, shelter, clothing, and other essential amenities. It encompasses various activities, assets, and resources that people use to sustain themselves and their families. Livelihoods can include employment in agriculture, non-farm occupations, self-employment, business ventures, and other income-generating activities. The primary objectives of the research was to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, identify the types of livelihoods activities engaged by the respondents, to access the income generated by the respondents and to identify the constraints faced by the respondents. A multi-stage sampling techniques was employed to select 120 households, and structured questionnaire were used for primary data collection. Data collected for the study were subjected to Descriptive statistics. objectives i, ii iii were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency counts, and percentage. Mean core derived from Likert scale were used to achieved objectives iv. The constraints were weighed on 5 point Likert scale as Highly serious, Moderately serious, Very serious, Serious, and not Serious. The results of the study shows that The respondents are predominantly between 30 and 50 years old, with a mean age of 37 years. This indicates that most of the respondents are in their prime working years, which is consistent with the demographic trends in rural farming populations. The majority (66.7%) of the respondents are male. In many rural communities, farming activities are often dominated by men due to the physical demands of the work, while women are typically more involved in subsistence farming or household-based economic activities. The majority of respondents (70.8%) are married, which can suggest a family-oriented agricultural system where family labor is utilized on farms. Most households have between 1-5 members (79.0%), with a mean household size of 6 persons. A larger household size can provide a source of family labor. The respondents have varying levels of education, with 41.7% having completed only primary education and 16.6% having tertiary education. The main constraints identified included limited access to farm inputs, inadequate access to credit, poor market price, climate variability, infrastructure and land tenure systems. The study highlights the significant role of agriculture in sustaining rural livelihoods in Lafia LGA, where crop farming and livestock rearing serve as primary sources of income. The socio-economic characteristics of the respondents indicate that the majority of respondents are middle-aged males (62.5%) with an average age of 37 years, and most are married (70.8%). The average household size of six persons and a predominance of primary-level education (41.7%) suggest a population that has some formal education but faces limited opportunities for higher Based on the study's findings, the following recommendations are; Enhancing Access, Education and Capacity Building, Infrastructure Development.