Sustainable Irrigation Practices And Their Contribution To Food Security In Adamawa State

• Phillips Panotani Asaph

  Adamawa State University. Mubi, Nigeria, Faculty of Social Sciences, Communication and Media Studies, Department of Economics, Adamawa State, Nigeria

  Author

• Peter Amade

  Adamawa State University. Mubi, Nigeria, Faculty of Social Sciences, Communication and Media Studies, Department of Economics, Adamawa State, Nigeria

  Author

• Lamba Slemem

  Adamawa State University. Mubi, Nigeria, Faculty of Social Sciences, Communication and Media Studies, Department of Economics, Adamawa State, Nigeria

  Author

Sustainable irrigation is critical for improving agricultural productivity and food security in farming communities exposed to rainfall variability and insecurity. This study evaluates sustainable irrigation practices and their contribution to food security in Adamawa State by assessing irrigation sustainability, examining its relationship with household food security, identifying factors constraining adoption, and analyzing the role of insecurity. Data from 384 farming households were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, mean comparison, OLS and logistic regression, interaction analysis, and robustness estimation. The results indicate a relatively low level of irrigation sustainability, with a mean sustainability index of 39.69/100, while only 23.96% of farmers are classified as adopters. The mean food-security score is 57.34/100, with adopters recording significantly higher food-security outcomes than non-adopters. OLS estimates show that a 10-point increase in irrigation sustainability is associated with a 6.45-point increase in food security scores, while logistic estimates indicate higher odds of being food secure. Credit access, extension contact, and farming experience significantly facilitate adoption, whereas insecurity significantly constrains it; cost barriers and farm size do not exhibit statistically significant independent effects. Insecurity also has a strong negative association with food security, although its interaction with irrigation sustainability is statistically insignificant, indicating no significant moderating effect. Robustness estimates using adoption status confirm the positive association between sustainable irrigation and the outcome. The study concludes that sustainable irrigation is an important correlate of food security, but its benefits depend on access to finance, extension services, appropriate technologies, and a secure operating environment. Given the observational design, the findings are interpreted as conditional associations rather than definitive causal effects. The study recommends integrated interventions combining irrigation infrastructure, affordable credit, extension support, water-saving technologies, community maintenance, security measures, and environmental monitoring. 

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