CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF INSECURITY ON CASSAVA PRODUCTION IN IKA NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the causes and effects of Insecurity on cassava production in Ika North East Local Government Area in Delta State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The study adopted two purpose of study, two research question and two hypotheses. The population of the study consists of (1,380) of nine villages under Ika North East. The villages includes Owa Kingdom 250 farmers, Ute Kingdom 150 farmers, Akumazi Kingdom 90 farmers, Umunede Kingdom 70 farmers, Mbiri Kingdom 180 farmers, Ute-Ogbejie Kingdom 200 farmers Idumuesha Kingdom 130 farmers, Igbodo Kingdom 270 and Otolokpo Kingdom 40 farmers. A purposive random sampling technique was used to select 320 male and female farmers. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. Data collected was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research question using SPSS version 25, while t-test was used the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. the findings showed that farmers have lost farm assets or inputs e.g fertilizers, tools, seedlings due to insecurity, respondents strongly agreed that because of insecurity farmers farm on smaller portion of land than they use to do, insecurity has reduced farmers cassava production, while respondents agreed that insecurity has made it difficult for farmers to access market to sell their cassava. The study conclude that the insecurity normally take place in the rain way located inside bush where the herdsmen and bandits gathered them and ambush famers who goes to farm to harvest cassava for processing. The study recommended that government and local authorities should prioritize increased security patrols and community policing in identified farming zones, Federal, State and Local Governments, in collaboration with agricultural bodies and NGOs, should introduce protective programs such as farmers security networks, safe-farming zones, use of drone camera by security operations and emergency response units in volatile areas to reduce fear and encourage continued cassava cultivation.