Comparative Analysis of Expenditures of Male-Headed and Female-Headed Cassava-Based Farm Households in Umuahia Agricultural Zone of Abia State, Nigeria

The study analyzed expenditures of male-headed and female-headed cassava-based farm households in Umuahia Agricultural Zone of Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to: describe socio-economic characteristics of male-headed and female-headed cassava-based farm households in the study area; analyze budget share and expenditure elasticity in male-headed and female-headed cassava based farm households and analyze determinants of expenditure in male-headed and female-headed cassava-based farm households’ in the study area. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used in selection of 70 male-headed and 70 female-headed cassava-based farm households, from whom data were elicited using structured and pre-tested questionnaire that was self-administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, budget shares and expenditure elasticity analysis and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) multiple regression model, The budget shares and expenditure elasticity analysis revealed that Marginal Budget Share (MBS) was higher than the Average Budget Share (ABS) in expenditure items of shelter, health, clothing, education and utilities in male-headed cassava farm households. Similarly, the MBS was higher than the ABS for some expenditure items (shelter, health, education and utilities) in female-headed farm households. The result of OLS multiple regression estimation revealed that expenditures in male-headed cassava farm households were influenced by age, level of education attainment, household size and income. While, expenditures in female-headed cassava farm households were influenced by farm size, age, educational level and access to credit. Special recognition should be made in providing for clothing expenditure in both male-headed and female-headed households to alleviate poverty and improve the living standard of women in farm households. Keywords: Expenditure, Male-headed households, female-headed households, Cassava, Farmer

LABOUR-USE EFFICIENCY BY SMALLHOLDER YAM FARMERS IN ABIA STATE NIGERIA: A LABOUR-USE REQUIREMENT FRONTIER APPROACH

Production of yam is a labour intensive set of activities especially in the Tropics. In Eastern Nigeria this is done by small farmers at subsistent level due to inadequate and short supply of labour. This study examined labour-use efficiency by smallholder yam farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. A two-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 smallholder yam farmers from Ikwuano and Umuahia North Local Government Areas of the state. Data were collected during a survey with a wellstructured questionnaire administered by personal interview method with the farmers. The result revealed that farm households provided an average of 336 man-days used in yam production activities, with 36.66% using hired labour while family labour, share croppers, and exchange labour provided the balance labour (63.34%) required. The Cobb-Douglas functional form of labour-use frontier estimates shows that the quantity of harvested yam, size of cleared farm land and quantity of fertilizer applied significantly affected the amount of labour used in yam production at 10.0%, 5.0% and 1.0% level of significance respectively. The socio-economic determinants of labour use efficiency were age, education, farm size, gender, labour wage and household size which were statistically significant at 1.0% risk level except the coefficient of age which was significant at 5.0% risk level. The result showed that the estimated farm labour-use efficiency ranged from 0.20 to 0.97 with a mean labour-use efficiency value of 0.76. Policies aimed at increasing yam farmers’ scale of operation through improved access to production inputs like fertilizer, agrochemical and capital are required for increasing labour use efficiency in the area

CASSAVA ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND GENDER PARTICIPATION IN UDI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

This Study on cassava entrepreneurship and gender participation was carried out in Udi local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Quarterly data from a panel of thirty male-headed and thirty female-headed cassava-based farm households randomly selected followings a multistage sampling of ten out of 24 autonomous communities of the study area was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Both male and female entrepreneurs engaged more on three of cassava products namely Garri, Fufu and Tapioca on account of relatively better profits from them. Segregating male from female entrepreneurs, participation of males in cassava enterprise was negatively influenced by adult number of males, time spent on housework, and daily non-farm wage while participation of females in the enterprise was influenced by adult number of females in household, daily non-farm wage, time spent on housework and frequency of contact with extension agency with challenges of high operational costs, and poor packaging on the enterprise in the area. To bring male and female entrepreneurs at par in terms of resource needs, all social and cultural constraints on female access to arable land and credit should be addressed by law such that that there will be prohibition against any discrimination on women. We recommended provision of financial credit and grants for SMEs development to enable entrepreneurs (especially women) purchase fertilizers and automated machines for processing, and packaging of the products to attract better prices

LABOUR-USE EFFICIENCY BY SMALLHOLDER YAM FARMERS IN ABIA STATE NIGERIA: A LABOUR-USE REQUIREMENT FRONTIER APPROACH

Production of yam is a labour intensive set of activities especially in the Tropics. In Eastern Nigeria this is done by small farmers at subsistent level due to inadequate and short supply of labour. This study examined labour-use efficiency by smallholder yam farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. A two-stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 smallholder yam farmers from Ikwuano and Umuahia North Local Government Areas of the state. Data were collected during a survey with a well-structured questionnaire administered by personal interview method with the farmers. The result revealed that farm households provided an average of 336 man-days used in yam production activities, with 36.66% using hired labour while family labour, share croppers, and exchange labour provided the balance labour (63.34%) required. The Cobb-Douglas functional form of labour-use frontier estimates shows that the quantity of harvested yam, size of cleared farm land and quantity of fertilizer applied significantly affected the amount of labour used in yam production at 10.0%, 5.0% and 1.0% level of significance respectively. The socio-economic determinants of labour use efficiency were age, education, farm size, gender, labour wage and household size which were statistically significant at 1.0% risk level except the coefficient of age which was significant at 5.0% risk level. The result showed that the estimated farm labour-use efficiency ranged from 0.20 to 0.97 with a mean labour-use efficiency value of 0.76. Policies aimed at increasing yam farmers’ scale of operation through improved access to production inputs like fertilizer, agrochemical and capital are required for increasing labour use efficiency in the area