Biofortified (vitamin A) cassava was developed through convectional breeding similar to most other improved varieties cultivated by Nigeria farmers. Despite its potential in addressing the increasing food demand and malnutrition in the country, lack of empirical knowledge about its yield and return on investment has been a major barrier to the uptake of this technology among farmers in Nigeria. This study examined the socio-economic characteristics of vitamin A cassava farmers; analyzed farm level efficiency and return on investment from vitamin A cassava in the study area; determined the factors affecting farm level efficiency and productivity, and examined the constraint to productivity and profitability among vitamin A cassava farmers. A multistage random sampling was used to select a total of 100 vitamin A cassava farmers in the study area. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, stochastic frontier production function (SFPF), profitability ratio and regression analysis. The results indicated that investing in vitamin A cassava as a business was very profitable. The result showed that 82% of the respondents were male, the mean age of the farmers was 53.25, 49% had only primary school certificate education, 66% farmed on the land between 1-2 hectares. The result further showed that on the average, total revenue was N261511.90, the total variable cost was N87754, gross margin was N173757.9, total cost was N179828.8, and net income was N81683.05. Mean technical efficiency was 78.73%. The study concluded that vitamin A cassava production in the study area was efficient and profitable. These results have implications for the design of effective advocacy strategies to attract more farmers into vitamin A cassava production in Nigeria.
Profit is the driving force for any enterprises to thrive well, because it encourages more investment into an enterprise. One of the major barriers to investing in plantain value chain is inadequate information on return to investment. Thus, this paper investigated profitability of investors along plantain value chain in Osun state. A multistage sampling procedure was used to elicit information from 100 respondents for the study. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis, budgetary analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Descriptive statistics reveal that average age was 52.2 (±11.19) years for plantain farmers, 41.8 (±10.78) years for processors and marketers 33.42 (±11.99). While, average farming experience was 26.9 (±10.88) years for plantain farmers, 12.47 (±10.78) years for processors and marketers 5.84 (±19.12). About 6.7% farmers, 15.6% processors and 13.2% marketers had access to credit facilities. The budgetary analysis showed that benefit-cost ratios were $1.38, $1.30 and $1.19 for the farmers, processors and marketers, respectively. Multiple regression estimates revealed that insecticide used (p<0.1) and numbers of plantain harvested (p<0.01) significantly influenced the profitability of the plantain farmers, while age (p<0.1), level of formal education (p<0.05), amount invested into the business (p<0.01) and household size (p<0.05) significantly influenced the profitability of the plantain marketers. Only household size (p<0.01) significantly influenced the profitability of the plantain processor. In accordance with the findings of the study, we therefore recommend that subsidized cost of inputs and better access to credit among the investors along the value chain would increase the level of return to the investment.
This study investigated the effects of the social capital on the adoption of improved technology, profitability and productivity among cassava farmers in Osun state. A Multistage sampling procedure was used to obtain information from 100 cassava farmers and the data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, tobit, budgetary analysis and stochastic production function models. Results from the study showed an average cassava farmer was young, very active and smallholder in nature. Cassava farmers who participated in social capital network benefitted tremendously from their group because they made more profit and were more efficient than those who did not participate in any social network. The study concluded that cassava farmers who participated in social capital networks were more efficient that those who did not participate in any social network. The study therefore recommended that cassava farmers in the study area should be encourage to participate in social capital networks in order to improve their profit level and productivity. Also in order to promote and facilitate the rate and intensity of adoption of improved technologies among farmers, social capital and group networks should be considered as appropriate channels to introduce and train farmers for maximum impact.
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