Backyard Agricultural Activities and Household Food Security and Financial Resilience among Civil Servants in Mubi North, Adamawa State

This study examines the relationship between backyard agricultural participation, household food security and financial resilience among civil servants in Mubi North, Adamawa State. A quantitative cross-sectional framework combines descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and multivariable regression to assess food insecurity, dietary diversity and short-term financial capacity. Robust estimation and alternative specifications examine whether the findings depend on model or outcome choices. Participation is associated with lower food insecurity, greater dietary diversity and stronger composite financial capacity after adjustment for household characteristics. However, the separate expense-adequacy model does not establish a statistically significant association, indicating that financial conclusions depend on the outcome definition. The study distinguishes food retained for consumption from cash sales and production costs, while recognising that current financial capacity does not demonstrate sustained income security. The findings illustrate the potential complementarity between residential production and wage-based livelihoods without establishing causal or population effects. The study recommends evaluating voluntary, locally suitable agricultural support alongside reliable water access, extension services and adequate wages.