Assessment of diversification strategies on level of living among soybean farmers in Kaduna State, Nigeria

The purpose of the study was to evaluate how on-farm diversification strategies affected the productivity and standard of living of Nigerian farmers who grew based on soybeans in Kaduna State, Nigeria. With the use of a structured questionnaire, 336 farmers provided primary and secondary data. The livelihood diversification index, ANOVA, and the Multinomial Logit model were employed. Results indicate that soybean-based farming systems are predominantly male-dominated, with intercropping of soybean/maize, and soybean/cowpea being more common than sole soybean cultivation. Most rural households diversified their sources of income and generated a substantial amount of money from several sources, though a significant minority relied on a single source of income. The farmers' primary source of income was their farm, accounting for 73.4% of their total mean share. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01, χ2 = 31.98) between their earnings from farming and non-farming sources. According to the principal component analysis (PC1) results, households rely on crop production while minimally engaged in non-agricultural wage work. The multinomial Logit model's results showed the marginal effects of statistically significant variables on income diversification among soybean farmers. Overdependence on farming persists due to structural constraints like limited land access and market integration. To strengthen sustainable livelihoods, policymakers should prioritize expanding extension services, promoting agroecological practices, and incentivizing off-farm enterprise development. This integrated approach could mitigate vulnerabilities and align rural livelihoods with broader sustainable development goals. Keywords: assessment, income, livelihood diversification, soybean