Omodara,O. D., Baruwa,O. I., and Tanimonure, V. A.

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In the wake of expanding urbanization and increased urban unemployment, backyard crop production has become an

important approach to urban food security. In view of this, the paper examined households' socio-economic

characteristics that affected backyard crop production in Osun State,Nigeria with a view to identifying the factors

driving backyard cropping as well as the constraints to its extension among urban households. Data were collected

from 105 respondents with the aid of structured questionnaire across the major urban communities in the four geo-

political zones in the State. The result showed that average age of backyard farmers was 49±29years with6 years

farming experience. Both the male and female headed households were involved in the practice and have average

household size of 6±2 members. The practice is observed mostly among the self-employed households and mainly

done to provide food supplements(63%) as well as fresh vegetables (37%) for the households. Regression analysis

showed that age, sex, educational status, household size, economic status of children, land acquisition method and

membership of association, significantly affected backyard crop production. Vegetative destruction of crops by goat

and livestock (50.0%), lack of sufficient farmland (20.0%) and low soil fertility (15.7%) were constrained backyard

crop production in the study area. Policies that abrogate communal extensive livestock and goatrearing,sensitize the

social associations about the benefits of backyard cropping, and ease the process of land access among households in

the urban communities are necessary to improve the practice of backyard crop production in the Osun State.

Keywords: backyard farming, public policy, urbanization, household nutrition, vegetable production, community,

poverty alleviation.