ISSN 2375-1134
African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 11 (11), pp. 001-009, November, 2024. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Analyzing the Variations in Food Consumption Between Rural and Urban Households in North-Central Nigeria: Insights from a Micro-Econometric Approach
Obayelu, A. E.*, Okoruwa, V. O. and Oni, O. A.
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Accepted 21 May, 2024
Abstract
This paper examines whether there are differences in food consumption patterns between the rural and urban households in the North-central Nigeria using food consumption data obtained from households’ seven days memory recall. While analytical tools like the descriptive statistics were used, the nature of data on fruits and vegetable with a lot of zero consumption led to the employment of the double-hurdle model. The results of the descriptive statistics revealed heterogeneity in consumption and expenditure patterns across households in rural and urban areas. While the urban residents purchase 37.9% of the food they consume, families in rural areas purchase only 26.6%. The most commonly consumed foods among urban populations included rice, fat and oil, bread, soft drink, sugar and milk, while those in rural areas was substantially different and included yam and cassava flour. Urban households in both states consumed more rice, fat and oil, bread, soft drink, sugar and milk with less yam and cassava flour compared to the rural households. Households’ decision to participate in fruits and vegetable food group from double-hurdle model was based on their income, location, membership of cooperative group and access to refrigerator. The actual consumption was based on income and their membership of social group. There is the need to increase households’ income and access to fruits and vegetable preservation facilities to facilitate the consumption of the food items.
Key words: Consumption, zero food consumption, food consumption differential, double-hurdle.