This study was carried out to investigate resource use efficiency of women cassava producers in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. A multi stage random sampling technique was used to select 120 women farmers in the local government in the year 2013. Percentage response was used to determine the farmers' socioeconomic characteristics, stochastic frontier and simultaneously, its' determinant were addressed using the maximum likelihood methods. The results of the study show that level of education, farming experience and extension contact were positive and significantly related to technical efficiency while credit access had inverse relationship with technical efficiency. The mean technical efficiency was 0.56, the maximum efficiency was 0.97, while the minimum was 0.23. Policies aimed at encouraging both new entrant and older farmers into farming through provision of improved production inputs and as well as increasing farmers' access to extension contact and educational programmes were therefore recommended.
Role of off-farm income in agricultural production and its environmental effect in Southeast, Nigeria (A case study of commercial motor cycle business) was studied. Two hundred and forty respondents (240) (One hundred and twenty riders and one hundred and twenty motor cycle users) were selected through multi stage random sampling techniques. The objectives of the study were captured using percentage responses, multiple regression and factor analyses. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The result of socio-economic characteristics of commercial motor cycle riders showed that most riders were youthful, single and experienced. Also, most of the riders used their money generated in the business in hiring labour, procurements of farm inputs, family welfare, expansion of business and procurement of equipment. As well, the menaces caused by motor cycle to the riders and the general society were accidents, traffic jam, crimes, health challenges and gang beating. More so, the determinant factors to the motor cycle riders’ income generated were number of years of experience and marital status. In addition, the effects of motor cycle operations to the environment were dusty and noisy situations, soil erosion, vegetation loss and oil spillage. The avenues in alleviating the affects of motor cycle operations on the environment were use of gadgets, educational programme, ban on the use of big motor cycle, use of traffic control and cleanliness of vehicular emission. The major problems encountered by the riders were extortions by the police, emblem, high cost of fuel and high cost of spare parts. Based on the findings the following recommendations were proffered. There is need to enhance riders’ access to hearing and head protective devices and goggle gadget at affordable prices. Also, experienced and novice riders should be encouraged to remain in business through among others provision of motor cycle parts at affordable prices and rehabilitation of rural roads by the government. Finally, all forms of extortions of the riders should be checkmated and the culprits brought to book.
Resource use efficiency of yam production among smallholder farmers in Southeast, Nigeria was studied. The specific objectives of the study are to estimate the costs and returns in yam production, determine the allocative efficiency of yam production among small holder farmers, determine the different effects of yam cropping activities to the environment and identify and describe the limiting factor to yam production in the study area. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 240 farmers and from which information needed for the study were elicited using a structure questionnaire. Cost and returns analysis, allocative efficiency model and distributive statistics such as percentage response and frequency distribution table were used to capture the objectives of the study. The result shows that yam production was profitable in the study area. Also, result of the allocative efficiency of the inputs shows that the farmers did not attain optimal allocative efficiency, since they either under - utilized or over utilized their resources. Yam production activities in form of clearing, burning, pesticides use, fertilizer use and tillage could result in among others wild Life habitation, oxygen – carbon dioxide balance, erosion, effect aesthetic, increases soil temperature, reduction of soil nutrient, human health and welfare and conversion of organic nitrogen into mobile nitrates. The constraints to yam production were high cost of labour, poor access to credit, poor access to extension services and high cost of labour. Improving farmers’ access to credit, fertilizer and extension contact were recommended.
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