EFFECTS OF RURAL URBAN SEASONAL MIGRATION ON FARMING PRACTICES IN ZAMFARA STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study analyzed the effects of rural urban seasonal migration on farming practices, Zamfara State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling was used to select the study area, while purposive sampling was used to select four (4) villages out of the study area after which random sampling was used to select 100 migrant farmers as sample size of the study. Structured questionnaire and interviewed schedule was used for data collection, while descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. The study reveals that the majority (89.0%) of migrants farmers were males, married (66.0%), aged between 21-31 years (43.0%), family size (43.0%) between 12-17 members with farming experience (60.0%) between (11-21%) years.The study also reveals that the majority (46.0%) of migrants farmers expressed that land clearing was the major activity carried out by the rural youth. The study revealed that incessant poverty was the major cause of rural urban seasonal migration agreed by the majority (40.0%) of the respondents. The result revealed that declined in agricultural output was the major effects of rural urban seasonal migration agreed by the majority (42.0%) of the respondents. The study however revealed that majority (39.0%) of the migrants farmers migrate to urban areas on seasonal basis. The study shows that labour work was the nature of job engaged by the majority (52.0%) of the migrants’ farmers in the urban centers. The study recommends that the gov't should provide the subsided agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, pest and herbicides etc to the rural populace. ABSTRACT The study analyzed the effects of rural urban seasonal migration on farming practices, Zamfara State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling was used to select the study area, while purposive sampling was used to select four (4) villages out of the study area after which random sampling was used to select 100 migrant farmers as sample size of the study. Structured questionnaire and interviewed schedule was used for data collection, while descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. The study reveals that the majority (89.0%) of migrants farmers were males, married (66.0%), aged between 21-31 years (43.0%), family size (43.0%) between 12-17 members with farming experience (60.0%) between (11-21%) years.The study also reveals that the majority (46.0%) of migrants farmers expressed that land clearing was the major activity carried out by the rural youth. The study revealed that incessant poverty was the major cause of rural urban seasonal migration agreed by the majority (40.0%) of the respondents. The result revealed that declined in agricultural output was the major effects of rural urban seasonal migration agreed by the majority (42.0%) of the respondents. The study however revealed that majority (39.0%) of the migrants farmers migrate to urban areas on seasonal basis. The study shows that labour work was the nature of job engaged by the majority (52.0%) of the migrants’ farmers in the urban centers. The study recommends that the gov't should provide the subsided agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, pest and herbicides etc to the rural populace.