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This paper assesses the relationship between annual cropped area expansion and crop output and discusses the implication of such a relationship for environmental management in

The study assessed expenditure on food among urban households in Benue State of Nigeria. This was done with the view to assess household food expenditure and its implications for food security status of the households; identify and assess determinants that influence household food demand; and analyze the determinants of food security of household urban population. The selection of the sample for the study involved a three-stage sampling technique. Data was collected from 150 households through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, food security index, multiple linear regression and logit regression were employed to analyze data. The results indicated a mean household expenditure on food that stands at N21,748.00 40.3 USD) per month. Based on the food security index the households that spent at least N14, 498.67 (93.5 USD) on food per month were categorized as food secure and those who spent below this value were categorized as food insecure. Furthermore, 67.3% of the households were food secure, while 32.7% were food insecure. The study revealed that size of household, income of the household head and price of food comodities were identified as major factors influencing household food demand decisions in the study area. Moreover, size of the household and income of the household head were the main determinants of food demand in the study area (F = 19.78; p ≤ 0.05) just as age and income of household head as well as household size influence the probability that a household will be food secure(χ2 = 13.77; p > 0.05). The study recommends that household heads should be educated on the need to control family size and to be self-empowered without necessarily depending on government as a way of enhancing their income to improve the household and economic conditions. The government should strengthen its policy on grain reserves in order to control food prices during scarcity and subsidize farm i nputs and availability to boost food production and thus lower food prices.

The study analyzed feeds type used among poultry farmers in Makurdi local Government area of Benue State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling was used to select 100 respondents for the study. Data for the study was collected from primary source with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that, majority (72.0%) of the respondents were females, with a mean age of 36.6 years and mean educational level of 14.45 years; majority of the respondents (61.0%) used hybrid feed for poultry production; Vital, Top and Amo feeds had increased returns in poultry production; choice of feed type used by respondents was based mostly (74%) on recommendation by others. The result further revealed that, number of chicks (P≤0.01) had significant influence on poultry output. It was recommended that Vital, Top and Amo feeds should be used by poultry famers for greater returns and farmers should be encouraged to expand their farm size hence number of chicks for more output.

This study determined the effects of climate change adaptation strategies on technical efficiency of poultry production in Benue State, Nigeria. The population of the study consist of all poultry farmers in Benue State. A sample size of 198 was selected using multistage sampling technique. Data for the study were collected from primary source using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies distribution, percentages and mean as well as inferential statistics such as Stochastic frontier production function. Farmers' perceived intensity of climate change as very high temperature, excessive rainfall, drought, irregular relative humidity, excessive sunshine and long period of harmattan with almost all variables exceeding the cut-off mean of 2.0. Majority of the respondents used adaptation strategies to cope with climate change. The result of the stochastic frontier analysis showing the climate change adaptation strategies influencing inefficiency of poultry output showed that, raising of broods and sell, tree planting around poultry house, more water served were found to reduce farmers' economic inefficiency of poultry output at 10% level of significance. The study hence, revealed that climate change adaptation strategies had significant relationship with economic inefficiency of poultry production in the study area. Therefore, the study recommended the need to improve on farmers' access to information on climate change and appropriate adaptation strategies as well as providing credit facilities to help improve farmers' capacity to adapt to climate change.