Comparative Economic Evaluation of Adopters and Non-Adopters of Some Selected Technologies in Abia State

This study was carried out in Abia State, Nigeria in 2007, to compare the output, cost and returns of Adopters and Non-adopters of some selected farm technologies. Data was collected from the respondents (120) Adopters and (120) Non-adopters) using well structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, students‘t’ test and profitability analysis. The results show that there were significant differences in farm size, expenditure, income and profit of adopters and non-adopters. The calculated‘t’s calculated were greater than‘t’ tabulated at P = 0.05. This implies that adopters of farm technologies had more output, made more expenditure and generated more income and profit than the non-adopters of the selected farm technologies. Therefore, farmers are advised to adopt innovations to increase output and generate more profit.Adoption, Evaluation and Technologies

Empirical Analysis of Determinants of Productivity among Small holder Cassava Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

The study was carried out in 2008 to investigate the determinants of productivity among small holder cassava farmers. The log linear model derived from the Cobb-Douglas functional form was used to analyze the data which was collected through a multi-stage random sampling technique. About 120 farmers were interviewed using the cost-route approach. The study found out that education, farmers experience, farmer’s organization and extension contact were positive and significant at 1% level. Age of farmers, land size were positive and significant at 5% level. The coefficient of gender was negative and significant at 5% level. The results of the study calls for policies aimed at encouraging experienced female farmers to form farmers group and land allocated to them to increase output and productivity of cassava in the study area.Productivity; Cassava; Log-Linear and Abia State

Effect of Adoption of Ginger Production and Processing Technologies on Rural Households’ Productivity in Anambra and Enugu States

This study examined effect of adoption of ginger production and processing technologies on rural households’ productivity in Enugu and Anambra States. The study specifically described the socio-economic characteristics of ginger farmers and processors in the study area, assessed the level of utilization of ginger production and processing technologies, estimated the factors influencing rural households’ utilization of ginger production and processing technologies and determined the effect of utilization of ginger production and processing technologies on production and income. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 192 farmers and processors from Anambra and Enugu States. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean and inferential statistics such as ordinary least squares regression and z-test. Majority of respondents were aware of most of the ginger production and processing technologies that were taken into consideration for this study, and they primarily obtained their information through ADP Extension personnel. In the study area, respondents had high level of use of ginger production technologies, but low level of use of ginger processing technologies. Age, marital status, extension contact, and income were factors influencing whether ginger production technologies were used, while factors influencing ginger processing technologies include; level of education, cooperative membership, processing experience, and extension contact. Following the use of ginger production and processing technologies, ginger farmers experienced a considerable increase in ginger productivity. Therefore, the study suggested that ADPs be strengthened to ensure that they successfully disseminate agricultural information and agricultural technologies developed should take into consideration the heterogeneity in the farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics

Gender differentials in efficiency of adoption of cassava production technologies among farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria: additive multiplicative dummy variable approach

This study was designed to estimate and compare the technical efficiencies of male and female adopters and non-adopters of cassava production technologies in Anambra State, Nigeria. A multi-Stage random sampling technique was used for the sample selection. Primary data collected from a sample of 120 farmers consist of 60 males and 60 females. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics (mean, frequency and percentage) and additive multiplicative dummy variable approach. The results for the male farmers indicated that technical efficiency coefficient for farm size and quantity of herbicide were positive and significant at 10% and 5% level respectively and capital, farm size dummy and herbicide dummy at 1%, level each. For the female farmers, the coefficient for farm size and capital were positive and significant at 5% levels each and fertilizer quantity at 1% level. Farm size dummy was negative and significant at 5% level. The findings indicate that male adopters were more technicaly efficient than their female counterparts. Advocating policies aimed at increasing the cassava production efficiency of female farmers that use improved cassava production technologies is made in order to improve their standard of living.Keywords: Gender, Technical Efficiency, Adoption and Improved Cassav

Assessment of factors influencing cocoyam production among farmers in southeast zone of Nigeria

This study assessed factors influencing cocoyam production in southeast Nigeria. The data for the study were collected from 288 farmers. An interview schedule with a well structured questionnaire was used for the study. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages and mean. Ordinary least square regression analysis was used for the analysis of factors influencing cocoyam production. The result of the multiple regression analysis of the factors influencing cocoyam production shows an R2 value of 0.822 which indicates that 82.2% of the total observed variations in the dependent variable were accounted for. F–statistics was significant at1% indicating the fitness of the model used. The result also revealed that seven variables were statistically significant and conforms to the researcher’s a prior expectation. The major production related factors influencing cocoyam production output were land, access to credit, farm size, farming experience, fertilizer and planting materials. Result of the three point likert scale on the constraints militating against cocoyam production showed inadequate fund with the mean of (X =2.71) and high mortality rate of cocoyam (X=2.68) as the major constraints to cocoyam farming. It was recommended that Agricultural credit should be made available and accessible to cocoyam farmers for increased farm size and for increased cocoyam production.Keywords: cocoyam production, tuber crop

Empirical Analysis of Determinants of Productivity among Small holder Cassava Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

The study was carried out in 2008 to investigate the determinants of productivity among small holder cassava farmers. The log linear model derived from the Cobb-Douglas functional form was used to analyze the data which was collected through a multi-stage random sampling technique. About 120 farmers were interviewed using the cost-route approach. The study found out that education, farmers experience, farmer’s organization and extension contact were positive and significant at 1% level. Age of farmers, land size were positive and significant at 5% level. The coefficient of gender was negative and significant at 5% level. The results of the study calls for policies aimed at encouraging experienced female farmers to form farmers group and land allocated to them to increase output and productivity of cassava in the study area

An Analysis of the Supply for Seed Yams in Nigeria

This study was conducted to examine the supply of seed yam in major yam producing areas of Northern and Southern Nigeria using the supply function analysis. A cost-route approach was adopted in eliciting data from 120 seed yam farmers and marketers spread across the six states studied in 2006 using the multi-stage random sampling technique. Results show that price of seed yam and age had a significant relationship with value of seed yam supplied at the 1.0% level. Disposable income was significant at the 5.0% level, while labour cost and supplier experience were negatively related with value of seed yam supplied at the 10.0% and 1.0% levels respectively. Price of substitute and credit had a negative relationship with value of seed yam. The elasticity of supply of seed yam with respect to income is positive but inelastic while the elasticity of supply with respect to years of experience and labour were negative and elastic. Price of seed yam had positive price elasticity. Result of the field work show that there were no commercial structures for supply of seed yam in Nigeria. Farmer’s only sell seed yams after satisfying own requirements. The results therefore call for policies aimed at ensuring framers entitlement to productive resources and to target farmers in credit and large-scale farm enterprise.Seed Yams in Nigeria, Determinants of Supply and Supply Elasticities

Comparative Economic Evaluation of Adopters and Non-Adopters of Some Selected Technologies in Abia State

This study was carried out in Abia State, Nigeria in 2007, to compare the output, cost and returns of Adopters and Non-adopters of some selected farm technologies. Data was collected from the respondents (120) Adopters and (120) Non-adopters) using well structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, students‘t’ test and profitability analysis. The results show that there were significant differences in farm size, expenditure, income and profit of adopters and non-adopters. The calculated‘t’s calculated were greater than‘t’ tabulated at P = 0.05. This implies that adopters of farm technologies had more output, made more expenditure and generated more income and profit than the non-adopters of the selected farm technologies. Therefore, farmers are advised to adopt innovations to increase output and generate more profit

An Analysis of the Supply for Seed Yams in Nigeria

This study was conducted to examine the supply of seed yam in major yam producing areas of Northern and Southern Nigeria using the supply function analysis. A cost-route approach was adopted in eliciting data from 120 seed yam farmers and marketers spread across the six states studied in 2006 using the multi-stage random sampling technique. Results show that price of seed yam and age had a significant relationship with value of seed yam supplied at the 1.0% level. Disposable income was significant at the 5.0% level, while labour cost and supplier experience were negatively related with value of seed yam supplied at the 10.0% and 1.0% levels respectively. Price of substitute and credit had a negative relationship with value of seed yam. The elasticity of supply of seed yam with respect to income is positive but inelastic while the elasticity of supply with respect to years of experience and labour were negative and elastic. Price of seed yam had positive price elasticity. Result of the field work show that there were no commercial structures for supply of seed yam in Nigeria. Farmer’s only sell seed yams after satisfying own requirements. The results therefore call for policies aimed at ensuring framers entitlement to productive resources and to target farmers in credit and large-scale farm enterprise

Differentials in market participation among cocoyam farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria

The study was conducted to empirically investigate determinants of market participation among cocoyam farmers in Udenu, Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu state. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain data from the respondents. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and probit regression analytical procedure. The results of the descriptive statistics showed that majority of the respondents were females (65%) who had an average farm size of 4ha and 10 years farming experience. The coefficient of gender and household size had an indirect relationship with market participation at 10% level of significance respectively. The coefficient of farming experience and income had a direct relationship with market participation at 5% and 10% level of probability each. The study recommends policies targeted at the provision of storage facilities and processing machines to avoid post-harvest losses, access to micro credit facilities should be encouraged, access to farm input such as pesticides, fertilizers and improved planting materials at affordable rates, good infrastructure (road network), and training of farmers should go a long way in strengthening and promoting market participation for cocoyam in the study area.Keywords: Cocoyam, Market and Participatio