No abstract

This study examined the preference for imported and Nigeria rice among rural households in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to ascertain the level of preference of imported and Nigerian rice, determine the factors influencing household preference of imported and Nigerian rice consumed and to identify the major constraints to the consumption of imported and Nigerian rice in the study area. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used in selecting120 respondents. Primary data were collected with the used of structured questionnaire. Data collected were analysed with both descriptive and inferential statistics. The major findings showed that the grand mean score of 2.67 and 1.60 revealed that the respondents preferred imported rice to Nigerian rice. The major constraints to rice consumption preference for Nigerian rice were presence of husk, dirt and stones (90.0%), poor quality (85.8%), broken grain (75.0%), low swelling capacity (72.50%) breakages (71.60%), lack of competition advantages (68.33%), the constraints to imported rice consumption were high cost (73.33%) and affordability of the products (62.50%). Factors that significantly influence the household consumption preference for imported and Nigerian rice were price (p<0.05), nutritional value (p<0.05), ease of preparation (p<0.01) cleanliness (p<0.01) and taste (p<0.05). The study concluded that rural dwellers still preferred imported rice to Nigerian rice. It was recommended that Nigerian rice producer should improve the quality of the rice for it to have competitive advantage over imported rice. Government should invest in Nigerian rice production by issuing loans to Nigerian rice farmers and encourage mechanization.

The study assessed the contributions of rural women entrepreneurs in non-farm and off-farm enterprises to household poverty reduction in general merchandise (11.1%), restaurants/ bars (16.7 %), civil servants (4.4 %), and others (5.6 %) were identified as non-farm and off-farm enterprises. Income from non-farm and off-farm enterprises contributed to a very high extent and high extent (X =4.7, and4.5) and (X =4.4, 3.8 and 3.7)

The study assessed the perceived effect of cocoa postharvest and value addition technologies in enhancing rural farmers' productivity in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was employed in the selection of 114 respondents. Data were generated using structured questionnaire and analysed using frequencies and mean. Results reveal that proper harvesting (95.61%), pod breaking (97.37%), fermentation (96.49%), drying (96.49%), sorting as well as grading (93.86%), packaging and storage of cocoa beans (92.98%) were the technologies available to the farmers. They were not trained on how to make chocolate, cocoa powder and cocoa butter. There was high extent of use of harvesting, pod breaking and drying packages and low extent of use of fermentation and grading packages. The perceived effect of these technologies on the cocoa farmers' productivity included reduction in quantity of waste ( =3.73) improvement in quality of cocoa beans ( =3.58) increased income ( =3.09) increase in shelf life of produce, among others. Accessing and using these technologies were faced with such challenges as high cost of machines (100%), lack of technical knowhow (95.61%) and preference of manual processing (92.11%). The study concluded that postharvest and value addition technologies enhance farmers' productivity. It is recommended that postharvest processes be mechanized, cost of machines for further processing and value addition to cocoa beans be subsidized and trainings on value addition be enhanced.

The study determined the methods for improving capabilities of farmers' utilization of existing and emerging technologies for cassava production in Enugu State. Multistage sampling procedures was used to select a sample size of 300. Questionnaire was used for data collection which was developed on a 4-point rating scale with reference mean of 2.50. Data were analysed using descriptive statistic: frequency, mean and inferential statistic as the Z-test at 0.05 level of significance. The finding showed that existing technologies were available but emerging technologies were not available for improving farmers capabilities in cassava production with pooled = 3.28 and = 1.40 respectively. Secondly, the farmers utilized existing technologies in cassava production with the pool = 2.86 and coul d not utilize emerging technologies for cassava production with the pooled = 1.60. It was recommended among others that the emerging technologies that were not available for cassava should be provided to enable the farmers to ease of the stress in the use of obsolete existing technologies and also increase cassava production and well-being of the farmers.