Welfare Effects of Participation in Irrigated Farming on Rural Households in Jigawa State

Access to irrigation is widely posited as a route out of poverty for semi-arid zone farming households in Nigeria, enabling year-round crop production and reducing dependence on variable rainfall. In Jigawa State, in the North West geopolitical zone, government and donor-funded irrigation schemes have expanded smallholder irrigated farming, but the welfare effects on participant households relative to non-participant comparators remain incompletely evaluated. This study estimates the welfare effects of participation in irrigated farming on rural households in Jigawa State. Using an endogenous treatment effects model with scheme registration distance as an instrument for participation, data from 260 farming households were analysed. Welfare was measured using per capita household expenditure, food security status using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, and asset ownership using a composite index. Results indicate that irrigated farming participation increased per capita household expenditure by 22 percent and significantly reduced moderate food insecurity probability by 18 percentage points. Asset accumulation was significantly higher among participants, particularly in productive assets including livestock and farm machinery. Heterogeneous effects analysis reveals that female-operated irrigated plots generated stronger food security improvements than male-operated plots. Land distribution within schemes was identified as an equity concern, with larger operators accessing disproportionate irrigation allocations. The study recommends revising irrigation scheme land allocation rules in Jigawa State to cap individual allocations and prioritise women and youth in new scheme expansions, thereby maximising welfare distribution across the rural population. Keywords: irrigation, welfare effects, food security, Jigawa State, endogenous treatment