Abstrait

Food availability and accessibility indicator of performance of family farms in terms of food and nutritional security.

Hawey Tahirou*, Sitou Lawaly, Idrissa Soumana, Maman Mansour Abdou, Zoubeirou Alzouma Mayaki

The performance of a farm is relative to its productive and economic and agro-ecological capacity. However, this performance of family farms contributes to the resilience of populations to food and nutrition crises and to the harmful effects of change. This study carried out in the regions of Maradi, Tahoua and Tillaberi aims to show that the possession of livestock is a performance indicator of family farms in terms of food and nutritional security. Based on surveys and measurements, the sample includes 486 heads of farms spread across 3 regions, 6 communes and 18 villages. The results of this study showed that the duration of stock is significantly different between the three regions (P-value=0.005), it is on average 2.61 ± 2.20 for the region of Maradi, 3.16 ± 2, 58 for the Tahoua region and 3.26 ± 2.69 for the Tillaberi region. As for the possessions of cattle (UBT), they are significantly different from one region to another (P-value=0.045), it is 4.36 ± 11.84 (Maradi), 3.02 ± 4.75 (Tahoua) and 3.73 ± 7.89 (Tahoua). But, goats are the most significant (P-value=0.000). The regions are characterized by a significantly food consumption score and confidence intervals [68,15; 75.32] for Maradi, [82.72; 90.30] for Maradi and [68.45; 75.14] for Tillaberi. These intervals shows the consumption score is acceptable. In fact, the share of food expenditure in total expenditure is ± 58.48 ± 30.85 (Maradi), 55.29 ± 32.34 (Tahoua) and 46.08 ± 29.69 (Tillaberi). Expenses are also significantly different between regions (P-value=0.001). As for food strategies, they are highly significant from one region to another (P-value=0.000). They are on average 5.10 ± 4.24 (Maradi), 4.8 ± 3.91 (Maradi) and 3.38 ± 3.34. Dietary diversity is highly significant and the intervals show a low diversity score. [02.56; 03.61] (Maradi), [02.95; 04.29] (Tahoua) and [02.33; 03.67](Tahoua). The correlation test gave a highly correlated UBT and shelf life; UBT and food consumption and UBT and dietary diversity. Camels had a great impact over the 12-month period and more, so goats correlated positively with acceptable food consumption.