Adoption and welfare impact of improved rice varieties on rural farming households in Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria

The study evaluated the adoption of improved rice varieties and its welfare impact on farmers. Through the FGT class of measures and the Tobit regression model, cross-sectional data from 200 rice farmers were analyzed. The result showed high incidence, depth and severity of poverty among non-adopters of improved rice varieties. Also, results showed that educational attainment, access to extension agents, access to credit, access to augmented of improved rice varieties adoption and probability of being poor. The negative impact of adoption of improved rice varieties on household poverty implicitly showed improvement in households’ welfare that has adopted improved rice varieties. These results generally suggest the relevance of adoption of improved rice varieties and human capital development in improving the welfare of rice farming households. Key words: improved rice varieties, adoption, welfare, rural farming household, Nigeri

Women Participation in Agro-allied Small and Medium Scale Enterprise and Its Impact on Poverty Alleviation in Oyo State Nigeria

Abstract: This study examined the impact of women participation in agro-allied small and medium scale enterprises (SME) on poverty alleviation. Data were collected using the multistage sampling technique from 119 respondents in the study area made up of 59 participants and 60 non-participants. Data generated were analysed using descriptive statistics, FGT -weighted poverty measures and Probit regression analysis. Results from the study showed that the non-participants have the highest poverty level (51%), while the participants have poverty level of (17%) and the non-participants contribute greatly to whole group poverty. The estimated probit regression analysis showed that marital status, household size and women status in the family are poverty enhancing while educational status participation in Small and Medium Enterprises, income and monogamous family type are poverty reducing. Hence participation in agro-allied Small and Medium Enterprises is antidote to reducing poverty among women

ARPN Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY OF WETLAND FARMERS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT Given the small areas cultivated by limited resource farmers, it is difficult to determine how they are able to maintain their families from such low-productivity farms. Hence, the resource use efficiency and profitability of wetland farmers in Ibadan metropolis Nigeria was investigated. A multistage sampling was employed for the study. Ibadan metropolis was stratified into two: urban and semi-urban. This was followed by random selection of two Local Government Areas (LGAs) from each of the strata. Lastly, 122 respondents were randomly selected from the local government based on probability proportionate to the size. Data on household demographic characteristics and farm production input and output variables were collected with structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, budgetary and production frontier analysis. Mean age and household size were 45.5±11.2 years and 6.0±1.3 respectively. Farmers had at least six years of education and are mostly female. The result of profitability analysis showed that a farmer made an average profit of N36, 103.52. The Gross Ratio (GR) of the farm was 0.48 which showed that 48% of the gross income went for total cost. The returns on naira invested in production by the farmers were N0.93 that is 93.0%. The results of frontier model revealed that Technical Efficiency of farmers varied due to the presence of technical inefficiency effects in agricultural production. Land size, herbicide, water, family and hired labour were found to be the significant production factors which accounted for changes in the output of farmers. The distribution of the technical efficiency indices revealed that most of the farmers were technically efficient with mean Technical Efficiency Index of 0.519 (about 43.5.22% of the farmers had technically efficiency above 59%). The results of the inefficiency model showed that the age, years of education and household size significantly increased the farmers' technical efficiency. The wetland farmers are therefore encouraged to continue in the business because it is profitable

SEASONALITY IN POVERTY LEVEL OF RURAL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN OYO STATE NIGERIA

The study examined poverty level among farmers in rural areas of Oyo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used in collecting data from 180 farming households during the rainy and dry season. The analysis shows that the incidence of poverty is 32.7% and 40.6% during the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. Poverty rate is higher among older farmers with low level of education who are subsistence farmers with large members and who had no access to food preparation and modern farming technology. Poverty indices are higher during dry season than rainy season. To reduce poverty among farmers, farming households should be targeted with education, birth-control programme, time saving technology and cash transfer programs to bridge the dry season consumption deficit

Analysis of Incidence, Depth and Severity of Poverty Status among Livestock Farmers in South Western Nigeria

This paper relies on a study that attempts to analyze the incidence, depth and severity of poverty among livestock farmers in Southwestern Nigeria. The data for the study was collected in the Soughtwestern area of Nigeria. The sampling method employed for the study was multistage sampling procedure. Three towns were re randomly selected for the study. They are Oyo metropolis, Abeokuta metropolis and Ondo metropolis. Two hundred and seventy livestock farmers were randomly sampled for the southwestern Nigeria with 90 livestock producers sampled from each metropolis. The main analytical tool used for the study is the FGT weighted poverty index. The headcount ratio revealed that non-ruminant farmers have more of its population below the poverty line when ruminant and non ruminant farmers should be raised by 23 percent and 33 percent respectively while the income of the core-poor ruminant and non-ruminant farmers should be raised by 17 percent and 22 percent respectively in order to exit poverty. Results also reveal that poverty is more severe among non-ruminant livestock farmers than their ruminant livestock producer's counterpart. The study therefore concludes that ruminant livestock farmers are better off in terms of welfare than their no-ruminant counterparts. Keywords: Poverty status, Livestock farmers, Southwestern Nigeri

Economic Analysis of Plantain Production in Irewole Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria

This paper carried out economic analysis of plantain production to see how profitable it is, and what factors impact on its output. Data for the study was obtained, through random sampling technique involving 100 plantain producers, with the aid of well structured questionnaire. Budgetary technique and multiple regression analysis, involving the use of ordinary least technique (OLS) were employed in analyzing data set for this paper. Budgetary analysis, as revealed by mean net revenue (profit) per hectare by farm size (x1668.75), shows that plantain production is profitable. Multiple regression results, revealed that farm size, hired labour wage, fertilizer and cooperative membership are significant at p<0.05, p<0.05, p<0.01 and p<0.10, respectively. Returns to scale of all inputs used in plantain production was found to be above unity (1.24), showing that plantain producers are in the irrational stage of production. It is thus concluded that plantain production is economically viable. Policy focus, therefore, should address problem of incessant hike in critical agricultural inputs and strengthening of farmers’ cooperative societies at the rural sector, in order for rural farmers to have access to loan facilities that can aid their production to go beyond subsistence level. Key words: Economic, Production function, Returns to scale, Plantain, Osun state, Nigeri

Social Capital and Welfare among Farming Households in Ekiti State, Nigeria

The study examined the effects of social capital on household welfare in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The data for the study was collected from 186 households in three local government areas (LGAs) of the state using random sampling techniques. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, social capital indices and regression technique. Average age of the household heads stood at 54.4 years with 7 years of formal education. Household size was 7 members with monthly per capital income of N38,801.56. About 18% of per capita expenditure was spent on food. Households attended two out of every three meetings and had high level of active participation in decision making of 77%. The index of heterogeneity at 23.7  indicated low level of diversity of the associations. Monthly cash contribution was highest for members in cooperative associations followed by religious association. A one unit increase in the level of social capital would increase household per capita expenditure by 0.31%. Disaggregation of social capital into its components showed that its effect on welfare was traceable to cash contribution and decision making of households in associations. Social capital was truly exogenous to household’s welfare with no reverse causality. The study concluded that social capital positively affected household welfare. Keywords: Social Capital, Welfare, Heterogeneity Index, Exogeneity, Ekiti Stat