ABSTRACT
The study focused on theAnalysis of risk and mitigating strategies amongst poultry farmers in Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria.Specifically, the study examined the socio-economic characteristics of farmers, their sources of risk, mitigating strategies used and risk attitudes of poultry farmers in the study area.Multi stage sampling procedure, using simple random technique procedure to select 130 farmers.The data collected were through structured questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, attitudinal scale, Cronbach's coefficient test and Safety first principle. The socio-economic factorsresults showed that the average age was 45, the average household size was 9,and the average flock size was 1445.The study also reveal that the 3 most important risks in poultry farming were disease out-break, rise in cost of inputs, and change in poultry output prices (eggs and meat). These were reported by 100%, 96.9% and 94.6% of the respondents respectively. The result also revealed that majority (70.1%) of the farmers were risk averse, while 23% are risk takers and6.9% were risk neutral. This implies that the poultry farmers have a risk-averse behaviour.In addition, the result showed that other risk mitigation strategies used by the farm household in the study area were preventive medical treatment, quarantines / building rotation, off-farm income as important source of household income, young animals from own breeding, birds from safe and known supplier, feed from safe and known source, diversification, etc.The result of the regression analysis revealed that non-farm income exhibited negative relationship with risk attitude, this implies that the higher the off farm income the less risk averse the farmer will be. House hold size, poultry farming experience, flock size were found to be positively related to risk attitude, which implies as these factors increase the farmers risk aversion will be more. In conclusion, this study revealed that poultry farmers in the study area were more risk averse, employing mitigating strategies in poultry production. In conclusion, this study revealed that poultry farmers in the study area were more risk averse, employing mitigating strategies in poultry production.
