Information System Usage and Risk Management among Arable Crop Farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

Farmers need to be adequately informed in employing economic strategies to tackle risk situations in agriculture. This study sought to examine the risk management coping strategy employed by the farmers, explore determinants of risk management strategies, and to establish the relationship between information systems and risk management strategy employed. Primary data were used from 141 randomly selected farmers. Pre-tested interview schedule was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics, Likert-type scale, Multinomial logistic regression, and Bivariate correlation analysis were used for data analyses. The results revealed that the majority of the farmers were riskaverse. Gender of household head, the highest level of education attained, household size, farming experience and membership of association had a significant effect on the choice of coping strategies employed by the farmers. Correlation results showed that the more access to information the farmers had to the different risks they encountered, the higher the management strategies they were likely to use. The study concludes that there is a significant relationship between information systems and risk management strategies employed. It was recommended that extension agents should be adequately sensitized on the various sources of information systems available to the farmers so that they can, in turn, pass the information to the farmers

Marketing Efficiency and Determinants of Marketable Surplus in Vegetable Production in Kwara State, Nigeria

Marketing of vegetables is a complex phenomenon due to their perishable nature, seasonality and bulkiness, and as such, vegetable production requires an efficient marketing system. This study was therefore carried out to examine the marketing efficiency and determinants of marketable surplus in vegetables production in Kwara state, Nigeria. Data were collected using a well structured questionnaire from 75 respondents comprising 35 vegetable farmers and 40 vegetable marketers from 6 vegetable producing communities and 4 popular vegetable markets in the state. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis and marketing efficiency measure were the major analytical tools employed for the study. Result of the multiple regression analysis revealed that, educational level of the household head, farming experience, spoilage at farm and household were the significant determinants of marketable surplus in vegetable production in the study area. Based on the study findings, it is recommended that daily local markets with small processing units and motor able roads be established near the vegetable farms to minimize marketing loss. The government should come up with Adult literacy programmes to educate the farmers and raise their efficiency in vegetable marketing

Economics and Technical Efficiency of Dry Season Tomato Production in Selected Areas in Kwara State, Nigeria

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is one of the major fruit vegetables in Nigeria. In view of its seasonal availability and the need to make it available all-year round, effort must be made to increase efficiency of its production especially during the dry season. A study was therefore carried out to examine the economics of dry season tomato production in Kwara state, Nigeria. It estimated the costs and returns and assessed the technical efficiency of dry season tomato production. A two-stage random sampling technique was used to select 105 respondents for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Major tools of analysis used for the study were the gross margin analysis and the stochastic frontiers model. Results of the study showed that a gross margin of N 18,956.75/ha (US$ 120.74/ha) was realized from dry season tomato production. Furthermore, the result of the stochastic frontier model shows that age, education status of the farmers and access to credit had significant effect on the efficiency of dry season tomato production. This study therefore highlights the need for government to invest in public education and to make credit available to farmers as a way of reducing the burden of high cost of production

The profitability analysis of artisanal fishing in Asa River of Kwara state, Nigeria

This study investigated the profitability of artisanal fishing in river Asa in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 80 respondents were randomly selected for the study. Data were collected by the use of structured set of questionnaires. Three research questions guided the study. Results of profitability analysis showed that an average fisherman makes a Gross Margin of ₦52883.99/fisherman/month. The problems of artisanal fishing included lack of storages facilities, lack of government support and seasonal change in the volume of the river. The study recommends among others; fishermen should be given adequate training and the required assistance on modern fishing techniques and use of modern fishing equipment to ensure sustainability. There is also the need to organise the farmers into cooperatives to enable them have better access to government programmes and credits. It is also recommended that the government should build mini cold rooms with good storage facilities to help the fishermen overcome the problem of fish spoilage which reduces the quality of their products

Świadomość dotycząca prywatnych usług w dziedzinie doradztwa rolniczego oraz popyt na nie wśród właścicieli małych gospodarstw rolnych w Nigerii

This study investigated the awareness of and demand for private agricultural extension services among smallscale farmers in Nigeria, using farmers in Oyo state as a case study. Specifically, the study examined the availability and operations of private agricultural extension services and factors that determine farmers’ willingness to pay for such services. The results showed that a considerable number of farmers are willing to pay for private agricultural extension services. The number of plots cultivated by the farmers was found to influence farmers’ willingness to pay for private agricultural extension services at one percent level of significance. Income, awareness, family size and total number of plots were identified as the major factors influencing the use of private agricultural extension services in the study area. The study recommended the need for the government to mobilize farm households to avail themselves of benefits of private extension services. Efforts should also be stepped up by all development stake-holders to provide additional sources of income for farm households, in order to raise their income and demand capabilities.W niniejszym artykule przedstawiono badanie poziomu świadomości dotyczącej prywatnych usług w dziedzinie doradztwa rolniczego oraz popytu na nie wśród właścicieli małych gospodarstw rolnych w Nigerii. Badaną grupę stanowili rolnicy zamieszkujący stan Oyo. Szczególnie skupiono się na dostępności i funkcjonowaniu prywatnych usług w dziedzinie doradztwa rolniczego oraz na czynnikach, które wpływają na skłonność rolników do zapłaty za tego typu usługi. Wykazano, że znaczna liczba rolników jest skłonna zapłacić za prywatne usługi z zakresu doradztwa rolniczego. Okazało się, że na skłonność rolników do zapłaty wpływała liczba uprawianych działek ziemi, przy istotności na poziomie 1%. Dochód, poziom świadomości, wielkość rodziny i całkowitą liczbę działek uznano za główne ograniczenia w korzystaniu z prywatnych usług w dziedzinie doradztwa rolniczego na badanym obszarze. W artykule wskazano na konieczność zachęcenia gospodarstw rolnych przez rząd do skorzystania z prywatnych usług w dziedzinie doradztwa rolniczego. Także udziałowcy powinni podjąć kroki w celu zapewnienia dodatkowych źródeł utrzymania gospodarstwom, by zwiększyć ich dochód oraz popyt na usługi

Economic Analysis of Floricultural Plants Production in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria

In spite of the substantial contribution of floriculture to the Nigerian economy, there is still a low level of awareness on the potential of the horticultural subsector of the Nigerian agricultural sector to generate employment and reduce poverty. This study therefore carried out an assessment of the economics of floricultural plants production in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study specifically estimated the returns to farmer’s labour and management. It also assessed the determinants of returns to floricultural plant production in the state. Data used for the study were collected from the forty one registered floricultural plant producers in the study area using structured questionnaire. The farm budget and regression analyses were used for data analyses. The study revealed that returns to farmer’s labour and management was N174, 974.7/ha on the average. Use of manure, labour, farm size, experience, educational level and age of the farmer were found to have significant influence on farmer’s revenue. Inadequate capital to expand the scale of production was identified as the major constraints to floricultural plant production in the study area. The study therefore recommends that farmers be supported by making credit facilities available to them and that people be enlightened on the profitability potential of the enterprise

Evaluating the distributional impacts of drought tolerant maize varieties on productivity and welfare outcomes: an instrumental variable quantile treatment effects approach

Published online 23 Dec 2019In an attempt to go beyond the conventional mean impact assessment of agricultural interventions, this paper examines the distributional impacts of adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties (DTMVs) on the productivity and welfare outcomes of rural farming households in Nigeria. The study employed a conditional instrumental variable quantile treatment effects approach to control for selection bias that may arise from both observed and unobserved factors. The empirical findings revealed that adoption significantly impacts the distributions of maize yield and farming households’ welfare. In particular, the effects of adoption are larger at the lower tails of the distributions of yield and welfare outcomes, suggesting that the strategic roles of DTMVs adoption in raising productivity and reducing poverty are better among poor farming households. These findings emphasize that effective targeting and dissemination of improved agricultural technologies are critical for increasing maize yield and improving welfare outcomes of rural farmers in Nigeria. Policy measures targeted at tackling dissemination constraints, such as the promotion of informal seed sector, may help enhance the successful dissemination and adoption of DTMVs or any agricultural intervention without masking out any sub-groups

Implication of the Niger River Dredging on the Livelihood of Arable Farming Households in Niger State, Nigeria

Over the years, efforts have been made to improve the living conditions of the rural poor with the government embarking on different projects some of which are questioned even by the intended beneficiaries. The Federal Government of Nigeria in 2009 embarked on the dredging of the Lower Niger River some 573 kilometres upstream from Warri in Delta state to Baro in Niger State, Nigeria with the intension of promoting economic activities in the country. Considering the huge amount of money invested in the project, this study was carried out to examine the impact of the project on the socioeconomics of arable farming households in the study area. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 60 respondents for the study after which a well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from them. Descriptive statistics and the Sustainable Livelihood Framework were the major analytical tools used for the study. Results of the study showed that on the overall, the project has a positive impact on the livelihood of the respondents though not without some negative effect. The study therefore recommends that in the future adequate compensation should be paid to the Project Affected People who had their assets destroyed and their livelihood negatively affected as a result of the project. Also, sufficient and proper assessment should be done before embarking on the execution of the project such that enough provision is made to cushion its negative effect