ROADMAP TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF COWPEA PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Food security is a necessity since time immemorial, as loss of health owing to malnutrition is worse than loss of wealth. It is in view of the foregoing that this research was conceptualized to chart a roadmap for self-sufficiency in cowpea production in Nigeria using FAO sourced dated data which covered production, area and yield; spanning from 1961 to 2017. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Empirical evidence showed that the production trend of cowpea was majorly driven by area across the policy regime periods observed in the country. However, incremental changes in the output level between regime shifts were influenced by the technological effect. Furthermore, uncertainty was found to be the major factor threatening self-sufficiency in the production of cowpea in the studied area. Though, the impact of pricing policy on cowpea production is very low owing to low LRE of owned price. However, the short time adjustment period required for the price effect to materialize will make the price policy instrument to be effective in bringing the desired change in the short-run. Furthermore, the future trend of cowpea production is not promising in terms of cowpea food security, thus the need for policymakers to look towards technology advancement (e.g. high yielding improved varieties) so that the country will be self-sufficient in cowpea production.