Factors influencing the output of rice produced and choice of marketing outlets among smallholder rural farming households are the main focus to improve rice production and increase the income of the farmers. Primary data were used for this study. Data were obtained using a well-designed well-structured questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered to two hundred and seven (207) small-holder rural rice farming households. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted. Data were analyzed using Multinomial Logit Model, Gini-Coefficient, Double-Log Regression Model, (Cobb-Douglas) and Principal Component Analysis. The results of the Multinomial Logit regression model show that among the significant factors that influence the choice of rice market outlets were: sex of the household head (P<0.10), educational level (P<0.10), access to credit facilities (P<0.05), extension services (P<0.01), price information (P<0.05), market information (P<0.01) and, marketing experience ((P<0.05). The value of Gini-Coefficient calculated was 0.91429. The observed inequality in income distribution among small-holder rural rice farmers was a reflection of inefficiency in the market structure for rice. The results of Double-Log Regression model revealed that quantity of rice output harvested was positively and significantly influenced by farm size (P<0.05), the quantity of seed planted (P<0.01), the volume of chemical applied (P<0.05), labour input (P<0.01), and contract farming (P<0.05). Quantity of fertilizer and expected price of output was negative and significant at (P<0.01), and (P<0.05) probability levels respectively. The coefficient of the multiple determinations (R 2 ) in the production model was 0.51. This signifies that the explanatory variables included in the model accounted for about 51% variations in the quantity of rice output harvested in the study area. Smallholder rice farmers were faced with the following challenges in rice production and market outlet choice which include: Fire outbreak, thieves, cattle herdsmen attack, flood occurrence, transportation problem, poor storage facility, inadequate capital, lack of land/ tractor, poor price, high cost of chemical, inadequate fertilizer, lack of improved seed, inadequate extension officers, and lack of credit facilities. This study recommends that new innovations and technology that targets increased productivity should be promoted, provision of adequate extension officers is needed, input market supply for provision of seeds, fertilizers and storage facilities should be made accessible to farmers, provision of rice processing equipment should be made available, contract farming and marketing should be encouraged for increased rice production and market out choice for profit maximization among rice farmers to eradicate poverty and improve their welfare.

This study evaluated Economics and Technical Efficiency of Maize Production Among Small Scale Farmers in Abuja, Nigeria; Stochastic Frontier Model Approach; Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted and used. Primary data were collected through the use of well-structured questionnaire from one hundred and fifty (150) sampled respondents in the study area. Data were analyzed to achieve the specified objectives using the following tools of analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Stochastic Frontier, Gross Margin Analysis, Financial Analysis, Five Point Likert Scale, and Principal Components Analysis. The results show that majority 40.47% of the sampled respondents were among the age range of 41-50 years of age and 25.33% were within the age bracket of 31-40 years of age. The mean age of the sampled farmers is 44 years. Which indicated that Young and energetic farmers are able to withstand stress and adopt new innovations. Most 88.67% of the farmers were male. Majority 72.67% were married. The mean household size of the sampled respondents is 6 members per family. Majority (67%) of the small-scale maize farmers had 1-2 ha of land and the average farm size cultivated by the farmers was 2.576 ha. The factors influencing total output of maize were seed input (P<0.01), Farm Size (P<0.05), quantity of fertilizer (P<0.05), and labour input (P<0.01) were statistically significant variables. The results of the inefficiency components show that the factors influencing technical inefficiency includes: age (P<0.01), education (P<0.01), access to credit (P<0.05), farming experience, and household size (P<0.05) and were statistically significant. The total revenue realized by the sampled small-scale maize farmers was N238,317 on average. While the total variable costs on average basis was N109,702.93. The gross margin realized was N128667.07. The gross margin ratio was 0.54 while operating ratio calculated was 0.857 and the rate of return on investment (RORI) was 1.17. The retained component from the constraint’s analysis include Lack of Improve Seed, Lack of Transportation, Poor Storage Facilities, Inadequate Capital, and Cattle Herdsmen. The retained components explained 60% of the variation of the component included in the model. The study therefore, recommends that affordable loans and adequate capital should be made available to the small-scale maize farmers, farmers should be properly trained and educated by the non-governmental organizations and extension agents on chemical application, fertilizer use and pests and diseases control measures especially on integrated pest management (IPM). Inputs like improve seeds, fertilizer, and chemicals should be made available to farmers at subsidized rates and at appropriate time coinciding with production periods for proper usage. Provisions should be made for transportation and storage facilities for farmers, the issue of conflict between farmers and herdsmen should be brought to book and resolved amicably for peaceful coexistence.

This study estimated resource-use efficiency and factors influencing maize production in Kuje Area Council, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to; determine the socioeconomic characteristics of maize farmers; analyse cost and returns associated with maize production; evaluate factors influencing the output of maize production; determine the resource-use efficiency of maize production and identify the constraints faced by farmers in maize production in the study area. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select 60 7sampled maize farmers in the study area. The following tools of analysis were used to achieve the specific objectives of the study. Descriptive statistics; Gross margin analysis; resource-use efficiency and Cobb Douglass production function. The results showed that majority, 75 percent, of the sampled respondents were male while 73.3 percent were married. From the results it can further be deduced that 48.3 percent of the sampled respondents attended secondary school and 31.7 percent attended tertiary institution while the rest stopped at primary school level or did not have any formal education. The results also indicated that about 55 percent of the sampled maize farmers had household size ranges within 6-10. 100 percent of the sampled respondents had no access to credit and 83.4 percent had no access to extension services. From the analysis of cost and returns associated with maize production in the study area, the total revenue (TR) realized on average was N1,269,152.69 and the average total variable cost (TVC) was N188,462.69, the gross margin obtained was N1,080,690. With this result we can say that maize production is profitable in the study area. The results of the resource-use-efficiency revealed that farm size, seed input and labour input were underutilized while fertilizer input and chemical input were over utilized by maize farmers. The results of the Cobb Douglass production function model revealed that the factors influencing total output of maize production in the Study area were farm size (P&lt;0.1), labour (P&lt;0.01), chemical (P&lt;0.01) and Fertilizer P&lt;0.05). The major constraints faced by maize farmers in the study area include; inadequate capital, lack of fertilizer and lack of extension agent. Therefore, the study recommends that maize farmers should be encouraged to join the farmers’ association, and supported with credit facilities. Government should supply inputs like agrochemical, fertilizer and improved seed varieties to maize farmers at a subsidized rate and at appropriate time and extension agents are to guide the farmers in the usage of these inputs while mechanize farming system should be encouraged by providing tractors to replace local farm implements. Good roads are essential in linking maize production areas with available markets around the study area.

This study evaluated resource use efficiency and profitability analysis of tomato production in Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: determine the socio-economic characteristics of tomato farmers; analyze the cost, returns and profitability of tomato production, evaluate factors influencing output of tomato production, estimate resource use efficiency of tomato production, and identify the constraints facing tomato farmers in the study area. Multi-stage sampling technique was used. Primary data were collected through the use of well-structured questionnaires administered to 100 sampled tomato farmers. Data were analyzed using the following tools of analysis; descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis, financial analysis, Cobb-Douglas production functional model and resource use efficiency index. The results show that 83% of sampled tomato farmers were male. About 54% of the sampled respondents were above 41years of age. Majority 79% of the sampled respondents had less than 5 members per household. The results of costs and return analysis show that total average revenue realized by tomato farmers in the study area was about N146,430.00 and total variable cost was N23,057.30. The cost of labour was about N 16,416 representing 70% of the proportion of the cost of tomato production in the study area. The gross margin obtained was N123,372.7 with operating ratio of 1.58 and rate of return on investment of 5.38 respectively. Factors influencing total output of tomato in the study area were household size (P<0.01), farm size (P<0.01), seed input (P<0.05), and labour input (P<0.01). Seed input, labour input, and chemical inputs were underutilized. The results further show that the sampled farmers encountered the following constraints in the cause of tomato production in the study area, land tenure system, lack of good road, inadequate capital, high cost of input and lack of price control. Therefore, the following recommendations were made; financial institutions should provide affordable financial support to tomato farmers and also encourage female farmers to participate in tomato production, improved seed varieties should be made available to farmers for increase in productivity, agricultural extension agents should be provided and organize training on post-harvest practices in order to increase farmers’ incomes and minimize tomatoes wastages in the study area, tomato farmers should form themselves into cooperatives in order for them to assess inputs and subsidies from the government, and also pool their resources together for easy access to inputs and negotiate price.

The study evaluated the socio-economic characteristics, income inequality and poverty status of female headed cassava farming households in Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. Primary data were used for the study. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a total sample size of three hundred and three (303) households from the two area councils. The data were analyze using descriptive statistics, Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) poverty index, Gini coefficients, Probit model analysis, and principal components analysis (Factor Analysis). From the results about 59.73% of the female headed cassava farming households were less than 50 years old. 31.35% of the female headed cassava farming household were married. The mean household size was about12.00 persons. The mean annual income was 374, 868 Naira. About 56.77% of the female headed cassava farming household were poor given a poverty line N9, 009.37. In addition, 76% of female headed cassava farming households fell into annual income of below N500, 000 and they control 40% of the market share. The Gini coefficient was calculated to be 0.62. Maximum Likelihood Estimates (MLE) of the Probit Model shows that the coefficients of marital status (P&lt;0.01), educational level (P&lt;0.05), household size (P&lt;0.01), income (P&lt;0.1), and sources of livelihood (P&lt;0.1) were the statistically and significant factors influencing poverty status among the female headed farming households in the study area. The results of the multinomial Logit model analysis show that the factors that statistically and significantly influencing the income inequality of female headed farming households in the study area, were coefficient of marital status (P&lt;0.05), educational level (P&lt;0.10), access to credit(P&lt;0.05), and sources of livelihood (P&lt;0.05) for low income earners. Educational level (P&lt;0.01), access to credit (P&lt;0.10) and farm size (P&lt;0.01), were statistically and significant factors influencing income inequality or income distribution among high income earners among female headed farming households. Trading enterprise, cassava flour/garri processing, and palm/ groundnut oil pressing were major coping strategies employed by the female headed households to against poverty and income inequality. Based on the findings it was concluded that there was high income gap or income inequality among female headed farming households and they were poor. It was recommended that policies that will help create more credit access/programs in terms of loan at low interest rates for women should be implemented at all tiers of government to help mitigate and reduce the poverty among female headed household. Women should also be encouraged to diversify their sources of livelihood this will help them to have a relative equality or balance in their income levels all year round. Facilities should be made accessible to farmers, provision of rice processing equipment should be made available, more effort to empower women should be designed, contract farming and marketing should be encouraged, and information dissemination via communication devices for increased market participation and increased value sold among rice farmers should be a priority to eradicate poverty and improve livelihood.