Determinants of intensity of biomass utilization: evidence from cassava smallholders in Nigeria

Open Access Journal; Published online: 30 April 2019he paradigm shift from value chains to value webs in the emerging bioeconomy has necessitated a review on how agricultural systems transit to value web production systems. This study examines how smallholders in the cassava system in Nigeria have been able to increase utilization of biomass in their production systems. Using a sample of 541 households, the study employed cluster analysis and ordered probit regression to examine the intensity of cassava utilization and the determinants of the intensity of utilization. The study found that over 50% of the respondents were classified as low-intensity utilization households, while ~13% were high-intensity utilization households. Land, social capital, farming experience, and asset ownership increased the probability of intensifying cassava utilization among smallholders. The study recommends strengthening assets acquisition, improving land quality and encouraging social capital development among smallholders

Track D Social Science, Human Rights and Political Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138414/1/jia218442.pd

Estimating causal effects of cassava based value-webs on smallholders welfare: a multivalued treatment approach

The aim of the paper is to evaluate the impact of value-webs as an innovation in agricultural production on welfare of cassava smallholders in Nigeria. The estimation procedure involved the alternative process of multivalued treatment models when treatment units have multiple values. The study thus extends previous impact studies which focused on estimating causal effects from binary treatment units. The treatment units were determined from the extent of utilization of cassava which informed the classification of households into value-web groups. Value-web is defined here as a measure of joint linkages of product chains within the cassava system. The determinants of the choice of utilization were also estimated. Results show that value-web groups include non-cassava based households; low-level, middle-level and high-level value web groups at 32.4%, 34.1%, 24.4% and 9.1%, respectively. Resource allocation to cassava, farming experience, and access to improved cassava varieties increased probability of higher value-web activities. The ATE estimated from the model shows significant increases of up to N11, 560.14 (USD 37.9) and N11, 296.57(USD 37.04) in monthly farm income if non-cassava based and low-level web households became high-level web households. Keywords: Cassava, Value-webs, Causal effect, Smallholders, Multivalued treatment JEL: C31; D13; O31, Q12 Acknowledgement : The authors wish to acknowledge the BiomassWeb Project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft f r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The Research Fellowship offered by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria to the first author is gratefully acknowledged. The research is supported by CGIAR Program on Humidtropics and, the Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB)

Assessing farm-level limitations and potentials for organic agriculture by agro-ecological zones and development domains in Northern Nigeria of West Africa

Farm-level use of organic fertilizer could be influenced by development domains that comprise human population density and markets access. Analysis of 320 farm households from 16 geo-referenced villages provided the basis for assessing farm-level limitations and potentials for organic agriculture by agro-ecological zones and development domains in northern Nigeria of West Africa. The analysis was based on four identified development domains. The development domains were clusters of population and market access which are: low population density, low market access (LPLM); low population density, high market access (LPHM); high population density, low market access (HPLM); and high population density, high market access (HPHM). It was found that cereal-legume based cropping systems accounted for 74 percent of the total share of organic fertilizer used on the farm. The actual and potential use of organic fertilizer revealed that the current levels of organic fertilizer use as share of the minimum requirements for take-off for organic agriculture in Nigeria was low (37 percent) despite its potentials. Based cost effectiveness of livestock ownership, the development domains of HPLM and HPHM in the northern Guinea savanna revealed best potential for take-off of organic agriculture in Nigeria

Increasing smallholders' intensity in cassava value web: effect on household food security in Southwest Nigeria

Although cassava production and processing is on the increase in Nigeria, there is still a large gap to be filled in meeting the food and raw material need of the country in terms of cassava products and by-products. The reported increase in area cultivated with cassava has not been translated to higher resource use efficiency or productivity, thus cassava smallholders have low physical and economic returns on their activities. This has serious implications for their well-being attributes, chiefly food security. A value web system, involving multiple enterprises within interconnected value chains, has been proposed as a strategy for smallholders to increase resource use efficiency and financial benefits. This study examined the levels of intensity by which cassava smallholders utilise the cassava biomass using available resources. It also isolated the determinants of the different levels of participation in the cassava biomass value web. The study further investigated the effect of higher intensity of cassava biomass utilisation by smallholders on the food security status of their households with respect to their calorie intake and dietary diversity. The study also profiled the different risks to food security based on the level of intensity of the smallholders' participation in the cassava value web. The research used data from a survey of 150 cassava smallholders, from 7 local government areas in Ogun state Nigeria. The results revealed that food security status of households using the cost of calorie index generally increased with increasing intensity of participation in the cassava value web. Dietary diversity of households also increased with an increase in the intensity of participation in the cassava web. Smallholders who are multitasking are also less vulnerable to food insecurity. The study also found that smallholders are rational and respond to changes in market conditions for their products and are willing to take more active roles in the cassava value web. Policy thrust should thus focus on increasing market opportunities for smallholders which will serve as incentives to take more active roles in the cassava value web, with consequence for their productivity, income and hence food security

Fermentation Studies on Roselle (Hibiscus Sabdariffa) Calyces Neutralised with Trona

The effect of trona on the fermentation of roselle calyces was evaluated. The addition of trona to the calyces raised the initial pH from 3.3 to 5.3. The important microorganisms of roselle calyces fermentation were enumerated, isolated and identified. The fungi isolated consist of one yeast identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and two moulds, Apergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. Of the aerobic bacteria, only Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella sp. were isolated. The total titratable acid (TTA) value increased throughout the fermentation (0.027-0.043). The nutritional evaluation showed that there was an increase in the protein (6.56%), lipid (4.25%) and carbohydrate contents (74.33%) of the fermented sample with a higher ash content (4.54%) in the unfermented sample. The mineral contents (PPM); Zn (31.86), Fe (12.35), Mg (132.00), Ca (294.31), Na (214.62) and K (382.13) of the fermented sample were generally low. This study reveals that trona can be used to neutralize the acid in roselle calyx and that fermentation can greatly influence the nutritional composition positively. Keywords: Roselle, calyces, Trona, nutritional evaluation, fermentation J Food Tech in Africa (2002) 7, 75-7