Effect of Post-Harvest Loss Reduction Practices on Households Welfare Among Cowpea Farmers in Niger and Nasarawa States, Nigeria

Abstract

This research evaluated the effect of post-harvest loss reduction practices and selected socio-economic factors on households’ welfare of cowpea farming households in Niger and Nasarawa States, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was employed, and a sample size of 216 cowpea farming households was randomly selected across six local government areas. (i.e., 108 respondents from each state chosen). Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized. Results indicated that traditional drying was the most common post-harvest practice, while modern technologies such as Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) bags and super grain bags were moderately adopted. Household welfare was measured using a composite index based on per capita expenditures on food, education, health, accommodation, and consumer durables, and the result showed that the cowpea farming household had low welfare. The beta regression showed that access to training was significant at (p≤0.01), the use of super grain bags at (p≤0.05), the use of wood ash at (p≤0.05) while the use of Purdue-improved cowpea bags, level of education of household head, and the use of metallic silos were all significant at (p≤0.10). Distance to market and access to credit, though not statistically significant, remain relevant barriers to welfare enhancement, highlighting the importance of infrastructural and financial interventions. The study, therefore, recommends the need for targeted training programs tailored towards post-harvest loss reduction practices, increased access to improved storage technologies, such as the super grain bags readily available to cowpea farming households, and Integrated policies that address educational relevance, credit accessibility, and rural market linkages.