The Influence of Socioeconomic Characteristics on Residents Practicing Sack Farming in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Global food security progress has declined, with one in nine people worldwide suffering from hunger. Increased agricultural productivity, particularly through innovative practices like Sack Farming Practices (SFPs), is crucial in addressing this challenge, especially in Nigeria. This study assesses the influence of socioeconomic characteristics on residents practicing sack farming (RPSF) in Ibadan. The cross-sectional survey design and mixed methods were adopted to select 1,288 respondents for the study. Three residential (high, medium, and low) areas were calibrated based on their densities, while RPSF were proportionally allotted to high (182), medium (708), and low (398) residential areas. Results revealed that majority of the respondents benefited from sack farming with an efficient use of space (High 6.4%, Medium 18.5% and Low 11.6%), increase in crop yields (High 3.7%, Medium 8.3% and Low 8.5%) and soil erosion reduction (High 0.0%, Medium 14.6% and Low 4.0%). Findings on age reveals that 31-40 respondents bracket shows the highest engagement (31.3%), with decreasing observation in younger and older groups, Chi-Square results (?²=41.791, p=0.003) confirm significant variation, with Phi value (0.180, p=0.003) denoting moderate association while gender status reveals that males (34.5%) indicate lower representation compared to females (65.5%). Inferentially, the Pearson Chi-Square results (?²=8.035, p=0.090) and Phi value (0.079, p=0.090) suggest no statistically significant gender-based difference in sack farming engagement levels. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that residents’ socioeconomic characteristics play a crucial role in shaping their involvement in sack farming practices as a form of urban agriculture, which is a solution to address food insecurity in Ibadan.