This study analyzed the productivity and technical efficiency of cassava production in Ardo-Kola and Gassol Local Government Areas of Taraba State. Data were collected from 115 respondents using a structured questionnaire covering 2010/2011 farming season. Inferential statistics were employed in the analysis of data collected. Maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) for all parameters of the stochastic frontier production function and the inefficiency model for the cassava farmers in the study area was employed in the analysis. The study reveals that, farm size is the most important factor of production having an elasticity coefficient of 0.492 indicating that, output of cassava production is inelastic. Indicating that, an increase of 5% in farm size used in production of cassava, all things being equal; there would be a corresponding increase in the total output by 4.92%. Similarly, herbicide has an elasticity coefficient of 0.315 and was statistically significant at 5 %. This implies that, an increase in the quantity of herbicide would increase the output by 3.15 percent. Hired labour has an elasticity efficiency of 0.783 and is positively related to the total output of cassava. A 5 percent increase in hired labour will bring about an increase in the level of output. Despites challenges faced by cassava farmers in the study area, the study concludes that, farmers involved in cassava production have more than average technical efficiency and this means there is opportunity to increase cassava production in the study area. Similarly, the cassava production was profitable in the area. The research recommended public private partnership (PPP) to sensitize and educate farmers to enable them benefit from the new innovations and technology that abound in the agricultural sector.
This study assesses the problems associated with Fadama II crop farming in Adamawa state. Data were collected on a sample of 160 farmers and were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings from the study showed that Inadequate and high cost of fertilizer was reported to be very severe and serious problem affecting the crop farmers of Fadama, and this accounted for about 56.25 percent of the respondents, while 13.75 percent of the respondents were severely affected. However, only 30 percent of the farmers considered the problem as not severe, it further revealed that, about 57 percent of the respondents reported that high cost of agrochemicals was not a severe problem, while 16.88 percent were severely affected by the problem. The respondents that were very severely affected by this problem constituted 26.25 percent. On the use of improved seeds, the study shows that, majority of the respondents about 50 percent did not consider non availability of improved seeds as a severe problem, while 21.25 percent considered the non-availability of improved seeds as a severe problem. However, 28.75 percent of the respondents regarded the non-availability of improved seeds as a very severe problem. Cost of labour for production as revealed from the study shows that, about 45 percent of the respondents looked at high cost of labour as not a severe problem, while 30.63 percent considered it to be a severe problem. Consequently, about 24.39 percent reported it as a very severe problem. The study concludes that, several problems associate Fadama crop farming in the study area. The study identified problems associated with the crop production by the Fadama II beneficiaries such as inadequate and high cost of fertilizer, high cost of agrochemicals (herbicides/pesticides), non-availability of improved seeds, clashes with pastoralist, high cost of paid labour, high cost of water pumps and inadequate supply of water during some months. It therefore recommends that, Government should take renewed interest in dry season production by strengthening support and public-private partnership so as to boost production and win niche markets with a challenge of making better markets for farmers, while at the same time ensuring that production technologies adopted is more environmentally sustainable. Government should establish where feasible micro irrigation scheme that will ensure all year round crop production and livestock rearing.This will not only increase crop production but reduce the rate of conflict in the use of communal natural resource.
The study assessed the factors influencing e-readiness of agricultural extension agents in Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba States, Nigeria. The specific objectives include describe the socio-economic characteristics of the agricultural extension agents and assess factors influencing agricultural extension agents' use of ICTs in the performance of their duties. Primary data was used for the study and were collected through the administration of questionnaires. A multistage-stage random sampling technique was employed to proportionately select 254 agricultural extension agents from Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba States Nigeria using Taro Yamane's formula. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and the inferential statistics. The results of the analysis revealed that majority of agricultural extension agents were between the ages of 41 -50 years and non below the age of 20 years. A large proportion of the agricultural extension agents about 70% were male with only 30.71% female. Majority (91.34%) were married all (100%) of the agricultural extension agents in the study area had one form of formal education or the other with 45.7% and 1.57% of them had Degree/Higher National Diploma (HND) and Masters Degrees respective. Majority (77%) of the agricultural extension agents have been in service above 21 years with a mean working experience of 6.5 years was. 61.42% had grade levels of between 10 and 15 with 67.71% had an estimated average annual income of between N20, 000.00 -N 60, 000.00 only. The factors influencing e-readiness of agricultural extension agents as shown by the McFadden R 2 in the Logit regression analysis explained about 92% of the variation of independent variable with age, marital, education status, years of experience, monthly income, number of ICT trainings and number of ICTs available significant at 1%, 5% and 10% levels of significance. The study recommends that, government should develop a mechanism to encourage agricultural extension agents to improve access or ownership to ICT facilities for their professional as well as personal uses.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.