The Effect of Structural Adjusment Programme (SAP) on Technical Efficiency on Rice Farming in Nigeria

The study analyzed technical efficiency of rice farming in Nigeria using time series data obtained from FAO STAT (FAO Data base) covering a period of 1960 to 2010. The main feature of the data use includes rice output  and input of land, fertilizer, labour, seed, tractor number and land area under irrigation. The major tool of analysis is stochastic frontier and t-test of difference between two independent mean. Results of the analysis showed that estimated production function for both OLS and MLE models showed that almost all explanatory variables exhibit expected sign and magnitude except for irrigation input in OLS model. Coefficients of the estimated parameters were all statistically significant in the frontier function while in the average function, the coefficient of capital (X5) and irrigation (X6) were not significant. The estimated mean technical efficiencies values of 94.3 percent for all period; 91.7 percent for pre-SAP period and 95.6 percent for post-SAP period confirm the fact that rice farming in Nigeria experience high technical efficiency over the period of study. The result of the hypothesis of the study also revealed that, there is no significant difference in the mean technical efficiency recorded before SAP and post-SAP period. The study therefore suggested appropriate policy that will encourage proper and effective use of primary inputs such as land, labour, seed, capital and fertilizer for efficiency improvement. Key Words:- Rice Farming, Technical Efficiency, Structural Adjustment Programm

Effect of Households Poverty Level on Child Labour Participation among Households in Nigeria.

The study was carried out to assess the effect  of household poverty level on child labour participation using primary data collected from forty household heads and eighty children in the study area. The data obtained was analyzed using frequency table, FGT poverty index and Tobit Regression model. The result of the study revealed that, hawking of various items is the is the most important child labour activities in the study area, while the major reasons for participating in child labour work was found to be for supplementing parent income and to take care of children’s needs. The result of FGT poverty analysis also revealed that children from poor households   engaged more in child labour activity when compared with children from non-poor Households. Result of Tobit regression model also revealed that, age of the children, age and sex of household heads, poverty head count, urban residency and distance to market are the major determinants of child labour participation in the study area. Keyword: Child labour, poverty, participation and household

Economic Analysis of Oil Palm Production in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.

This study determines the economic analysis of oil palm production in Surulere Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria. The population of the study comprises oil palm tree farmers. Multistage sampling technique was adopted to select 125 respondents. Primary data were obtained using a well-structured interview schedule while descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis. The descriptive statistical tools such as mean, frequency distribution, table, percentages, were used to present the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. The inferential statistical tools; budgetary analysis and regression analysis were employed to measure the profitability of oil palm production and dependence of oil palm output on various inputs used respectively. The result of the findings revealed the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents in the study area as follows; 84.0% were male, 58.4% were within the age range 41-50 years while, 84.0% were married and 67.2% of the respondents had primary education. More than three-quarter (88.8%) practice Christianity, 51.2% have experience within the range of 31-40 years, 55.2% occupy farm size which ranges from 6-10 acres, and 88.8% of them applied fertilizer obtain them from government. All the farmers inherited their land and involved in other occupation. Also, they obtained funds from their previous savings, and utilized hired labour. All farmers in the study area utilized chemical, obtained seedlings from government, though 54.4% of them did not belong to any farmers association. Obsolete technology, low investment level and late arrival of inputs were the major problems faced by the farmers in the study area which government should ensure timely provision of necessary inputs required by farmers for production. Key words: Production, Oil palm, budgetary analysis, price and profitability

Potential Impacts of Free Trade Areas and Common Currency on Sustainable Agricultural Export in Africa

Peer reviewedPublisher PD