Economic Viability and Income-Generating Potential of Wheat Farming in the North West, Nigeria
2025
Kolapo, A.J. | Igbatayo, S.A. | Igbatayo, S.A. | Bamigboye, F.O. | Kolapo, A.
Despite Nigeria’s significant wheat demand and low domestic production, the economic contributions of wheat farming in this semi-arid region remain underexplored. This study investigates the economic viability and income-generating potential of wheat farming in the Sudan Savannah Agro-Ecological Zone of Nigeria, focusing on smallholder farmers in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, data were collected from 360 wheat-farming households via structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis, and Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression were employed to assess profitability and income impacts. Results reveal wheat farming as profitable, with a net return of ₦196,828.89 per farmer and a return on investment of 0.71, driven by gross returns of ₦474,791.54 against total costs of ₦277,962.66, predominantly labor (47.13%) and irrigationdependent. The 2SLS analysis identifies farm experience (coefficient = 0.7381, p = 0.000), farm size (coefficient = 0.3260, p = 0.011), education (coefficient = 0.312, p = 0.000), and predicted wheat area (coefficient = 0.1051, p = 0.001) as significant drivers of income, with wheat cultivation increasing income by 10.51% per hectare. These findings highlight wheat farming’s potential to enhance rural livelihoods and reduce Nigeria’s wheat importdependency. However, high input costs and limited credit access pose challenges. The study fills a research gap by providing a zone-specific economic analysis, offering policymakers evidence to prioritize investments in training, land access, education, and irrigation to bolster wheat production and alleviate poverty in the region.
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