Analysis of Coping Strategies Adopted against Climate Change by Small Scale Farmers in Delta State, Nigeria

This study analyzed the coping strategies adopted against the effects of climate change by small scale cassava and yam farmers in Delta State, Nigeria. It examined the socioeconomic characteristics of yam and cassava farmers and identified the various climate change factors that are prevalent in the study area. It also ascertained the coping methods adopted by the farmers in adjusting to the impact of variations in climate and also estimated the effect of the farmer’s socioeconomic characteristics on the number of coping methods adopted. 180 respondents made up of 90 cassava farmers and 90 yam farmers were randomly sampled for the study. Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that the majority of the farmers (82.8%) fell below the age of 50 years, 71.6% are married and mostly females (66.7%). Majority (53.9%) had post primary education, 33.9% had farming experience of 16-20 years, 53.9% had 1-5 household members and 39.4% had farm size between 0.1- 1 hectare. Most of the farmers observed high temperature (81.8%), less rainfall (77.8%) and shorter rainy season (22.2%) as signs of climate change. Four variables including farm size (0.05), farming experience (0.05), education (0.01) and income (0.01) have significant positive effect on the number of strategies adopted. Government policies and programmes should be geared towards addressing imperfections such as access to information and linking farmers with extension services. Keywords: climate change, coping strategies, rainfall, temperature, small scale farmer

Response of Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector to Selected Macroeconomics Policy Variables

This study analyzed the growth rate (output) of the agricultural sector in terms of the selected crops (cocoa and rubber) and the effect of macroeconomic variables on output of cocoa and rubber in Nigeria. The study covered the period between 1986 and 2010. Data were generated from secondary sources, including CBN, FAO and World Bank. Data were analysed through the use of descriptive statistics and the Ordinary Least Square regression analysis. The study shows that the production level of cocoa and rubber have been fluctuating over the period under review. Cocoa production rose to its peak between 1991 and 1995 with average output of 278.4 tones and fell to 189.3 tonnes between 2001 and 2005. Rubber production consistently increased throughout the period under review. Its average output in 1986-1990 was 172 tones, this rose to its peak of average output of 294.68 between 2006 and 2010. From the regression result, Output price affected the production output of Cocoa at the 0.05 level, while for Rubber production, capital and recurrent expenditures on agriculture are the main determining factors on output. While the capital expenditure is significant at the 10% level the recurrent expenditure on agriculture is significant at the 5% level. Based on the findings it is recommended that government percentage share of expenditure on agriculture should be increased and sector-specific and there should be incentive geared towards encouraging increased participation of the organized private sector in commercial agriculture. This will guarantee continual flow of investment resources, technologies and entrepreneurial skills in agriculture. Keywords: Cocoa, Rubber, Macroeconomic variables, Agriculture, Nigeria

DETERMINANTS OF YAM PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY AMONG SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

The determinants of yam production in Southeastern Nigeria were investigated using a stochastic frontier production function, which incorporates a model of ineffi ciency effects. Farm-level data were collected from a sample of 120 yam farmers in Enugu State and used for the analysis. The results indicate that labour and material inputs are the major factors that infl uence changes in yam output. The effects of selected farmer-specifi c socio-economic characteristics on observed ineffi ciencies among the farmers were also examined. Farmer-specifi c variables, such as education, farming experience and access to credit, were the signifi cant factors implicated for the observed variation ineffi ciency among yam producers

Estimation of Poverty among Rural Farming Households in Delta State, Nigeria

This study examined the socioeconomic characteristics of the farming households in Delta State, Nigeria with a view to isolating those that affect poverty. It determined the expenditure pattern of the people and subsequently estimated their poverty level. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data were collected through the use of structured questionnaire while secondary data were sourced from various ministries and extra ministerial departments in Delta state. The data were analysed using head count index, poverty gap index, percentages, means and frequency distribution. The results revealed that 70% of the respondents were poor based on the poverty line drawn at two-thirds mean monthly expenditure of N5010, while the remaining 30% were not poor. The estimated average monthly additional income required to bring an average poor person up to the poverty line is N2105. The major factors aggravating poverty in the study area were low level of education, low income, small farm size and inadequate social infrastructures. It is suggested that income of farming households should be augmented through government assistance to farmers in form of subsidization of farm inputs and provision of functional and effective social amenities. Keywords: Poverty, Standard of Living, Poverty Gap, Basic Needs, Household

Determinants of Output and Profitability of Aquaculture Fish Farming in Burutu and Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta State, Nigeria

The study analyzed the determinants of output and profitability of aquaculture fish farming in Burutu and Warri South local government areas (LGAs) of Delta State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted for this study. Eight communities were randomly sampled from the two LGAs and twenty aquaculture fish farmers were sampled from each of the selected communities to give 160 respondents that were utilized for analysis. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data were obtained using structured questionnaire and interview schedules and analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics (mean, percentages and tables) and inferential statistics (Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Regression Analysis and Farm Budget Analysis). The enterprise proved to be a profitable enterprise from the positive mean gross margin and mean net incomes recorded. Cost of feeds was the most sensitive cost item in aquaculture fish production. Maximum variable profit would be increased by the adoption of measures that would reduce the price of feed. The age of farmers, level of educational attainment, and farming experience as well as farming status were significant variables that affected output of fish. As aquaculture fish farming has been found to be a profitable enterprise, the Delta State government should increase the budgetary provisions to provide more funds through her already existing microcredit programme to accommodate more entrepreneurs interested in aquaculture fish farming. Through this way, more new investors will be attracted into aquaculture business. This will ultimately lead to mopping up of the teaming unemployed youths in the State and making the State the hub of fish production in the country. Keywords: Aquaculture, Determinants, Output, Profitability, Burutu and Warri Sout

Analysis of Agricultural Value Chain Finance in Smallholder Palm Oil Processing in Delta State, Nigeria

This study analysed agricultural value chain finance in smallholder palm oil processing in Delta State, Nigeria by ascertaining the socioeconomic characteristics of palm oil processors and determining the effect of palm oil processors’ socioeconomic characteristics on the choice of credit channel in the value chain finance. Multi-stage random sampling procedure was applied to select 240 respondents from 12 communities in four local government areas. Data were obtained through the use of structured questionnaire and analysed by the use of descriptive and inferential (multinomial logit) statistical tools. Findings indicate that over 75% of the respondent palm oil processors are females while 70.42% are aged between 31 and 50 years and 69.17% are married. Also, 97% of the respondents had formal education while 85% have palm oil processing experiences of between 6 and 15 years and more than 51% have household size of between 7 and 10 persons. The multinomial logit model result suggests that the choice of source of credit channel by palm oil processors is significantly related to gender (p>0.10), age (p>0.01 and 0.10), education (p>0.01 and 0.05), level of income (p>0.01) as well as membership of organization (p>0.01 and 0.10) and location of business (p>0.05 and 0.10). The coefficients of the variables are positive which implies that the probability of the respondents accessing value chain finance from any of the sources relative to the formal finance increases with respondents’ gender, age, education, experience, level of income as well as membership of organization and location of business. It is the recommendation of the study that governments should implement measures that will bring down the interest rate paid on agricultural loans. Keywords: Agriculture, Value chain finance, Palm oil Processing, Multinomial logit

Determinants of Participation in Nonfarm Economic Activities in South East Nigeria: A Tobit Analysis Approach

This study had looked at the involvement of small scale farmers in nonfarm income generating activities in the south east region of Nigeria. Specifically it investigated the probability of farmers participating in nonfarm income generating activities. A Tobit model was used to analyse cross sectional data collected from 180 farmers selected by means of systematic random sampling technique. The result shows that on the average the farmers were aged 48 years and were characteristically smallholder farmers. All the coefficients had the hypothesized signs in line with a priori expectations. Eight of the variables including age of the farmers, level of formal education, dependency ratio, remittance, farm size, size of farm income, farming status and distance to nearest city were statistically significant. The coefficients of age of the farmers, remittance, and farm size as well as size of farm income, farming status, and distance to nearest city are all negative. These imply that a unit decrease in age of the farmer, remittances, farm size of farm income, time spent on farming activities and distance to cities would bring about increased participation of farmers in nonfarm income generating activities. A deliberate policy of rural development through massive provision of infrastructures will see more people climbing out of poverty through participation in nonfarm activities

Access to microfinance services and its effect on business performance of small-scale women entrepreneurs in Enugu State, Nigeria

This study analyzed access to microfinance services and its effect on performance of small-scale women business entrepreneurs in Enugu State, Nigeria between January and December 2011. Seventy one beneficiaries and 50 nonbeneficiaries of microfinance services operating different business enterprises were randomly selected from nine local government areas in the State. Data were collected through the use of well structured and pre-tested questionnaire and analyzed by the use of descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The Double-Difference (DD) Estimator was used to compare changes in outcome measures (i.e., change from before to after the benefit) between microfinance beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Results showed that the respondents were aged 37.4 years on the average, 67.6% of them were married and about 96% had one form of official education or the other. All the microfinance service beneficiaries accessed credit and deposit services, while none received insurance services. The average per capita income of the beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries before the study (baseline) were ₦162,480.00 and ₦163,572.00, respectively. The real income of beneficiaries increased by about 46.67% (from ₦162,480.00 to ₦238,480.42), while that of the non-beneficiaries increased only by 11.6% from ₦163,572.00 to ₦182,546.35. The mean increase in income of beneficiaries was significantly different from that of non-beneficiaries at p = 0.05. It was recommended that training, as one of the core services of microfinance institutions, should be vigorously implemented so as to improve the performance of the client entrepreneurs.Este estudio analizó el acceso a los servicios de microfinanzas y su efecto sobre el comportamiento de las empresarias de negocios a pequeña escala en el estado de Enugu, Nigeria, entre enero y diciembre de 2011. Setenta y un beneficiarios y 50 no beneficiarios de los servicios de microfinanzas que operan en las diferentes empresas de negocios fueron seleccionados al azar de nueve áreas del gobierno local en el estado. Los datos se colectaron a través del uso de un cuestionario bien estructurado y pre-evaluado y analizados mediante el uso de herramientas estadísticas descriptiva e inferencial. El estimador de doble diferencia (DD) se utilizó para comparar los cambios en las medidas de resultado (es decir, el cambio de antes a después del beneficio) entre los beneficiarios y no beneficiarios de las microfinanzas. Los resultados muestran que los encuestados tenían una edad de 37,4 años en promedio mientras que el 67,6% de ellos estaban casados y aproximadamente 96% tenían una forma de educación oficial u otra. Todos los beneficiarios de los servicios de microfinanzas accedieron a los servicios de crédito y de depósito, mientras ninguno recibió servicios de seguros. El ingreso per cápita promedio de los beneficiarios y no beneficiarios antes del estudio (línea base) fue ₦ 162.480,00 y ₦163.572,00, respectivamente. El ingreso real de los beneficiarios aumentó en un 46,67% (de ₦162.480,00 a ₦238.480,42), mientras que el de los no beneficiarios aumentó solamente en un 11,6% de ₦163.572,00 a ₦182.547,35. El incremento promedio de ingresos de los beneficiarios fue significativamente diferente de aquel de los no beneficiarios (p = 0,05). Se recomienda que el entrenamiento como uno de los servicios centrales de las instituciones de microfinanzas debiera ser implementado vigorosamente a fin de mejorar el rendimiento de los empresarios clientelares

Comparative Analysis of Net Returns of Small and Medium Agro-Based Enterprises in Enugu State, Nigeria

The study analysed the returns to agro-based small and medium enterprises in Enugu State, Nigeria. It specifically estimated and compared the returns to both categories of enterprises and also determined the factors that affected returns to each category.  Ninety agro-based SMEs comprising 60 small scale and 30 medium scale agro-based enterprises were randomly sampled from the three zones of the State. Data were generated through the use of structured questionnaire. Results showed that small scale agro-based enterprises earned on the average a total revenue of N1,006,470 ($6,099.82 at an exchange rate of$1 = N165) per annum while the medium scale agro-based enterprises total revenue was N2,065,375 ($12,517.42) per annum. The results yielded a net return of N199,070 ($1,206.48) and N433,332 ($2,626.25) with an average rate of return of 24.66% and 26.55% for the small and medium scale agro-based enterprises respectively. This implies a high rate of return. Net returns to small and medium scale agro-based enterprises were significantly affected by age of operators, education, employment generation, linkage effect, experience and category of enterprise. It is recommended that policies which will encourage continuous education of entrepreneurs in business skills either through workshops or seminars should be highly advocated. Key words: Net returns, agro-based, small scale, medium scale, enterprise