Media Projections for Farm Insecurity in Osun State, Nigeria

The increasing spectrum of security challenges on crop production is of major concern to sustainable food availability for the nation at large. This study x-rayed security threats to crop production and examined the capacity of available communication sources for security information. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 149 crop farmers from six Local Government Areas - Oriade, Obokun, Odo-Otin, Boripe, Ejigbo and Iwo LGAs in Osun State. Data on farmers’ personal characteristics, security challenges, effect of insecurity on crop production, communication sources and capacity for farm security information were collected with the use of structured questionnaire. Data were described using frequencies, means and percentages, while Independent samples T-test and linear regression determined existing relationships and mean differences among variables. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Result showed a mean age of 47 years, majority could communicate in Yoruba (91.3%) and English (98.0%) and 91.9% had less than 5 acres of farm land. Most severe farm threat was pilfering ( = 1.63) and community clashes ( = 1.56). There was a significant difference (t=7.45; p<0.05) in the crop production before and after insecurity attacks in communities. Farm information use was mainly through farmers’ association (85.9%) and fellow farmers (81.9%); however, local task force, internet and radio ( 66.2, 44.8 and 40.4) respectively were assessed to have more strength for farm security information than others. Radio, extension visit, local task force and the internet contributed significantly to the change in crop production during security. Internet, local task forces, radio and farmers association have the strength for security information. The State Government should ensure that all police officers deployed to rural communities affiliate with the local task forces with the communities to ensure easy flow of security information among crop farmers.