IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF USAID-MARKETS IION PRODUCTIVITY AND POVERTY STATUS OF RICE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN EBONYI STATE NIGERIA
IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF USAID-MARKETS IION PRODUCTIVITY AND POVERTY STATUS OF RICE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN EBONYI STATE NIGERIA
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2021-02
Authors
NWAHIA, Ogechi Cordelia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Poverty and low productivity of most staple food crops have continued to be a great challenge in
Nigeria. Over the years, Nigerian government has come up with various plans and programmes
aimed at reducing the level of poverty and increasing agricultural productivity. There is an
increasing concerns by the government, international and local aid donors for concrete evidence to
be supplied on the impact of such public programmes that aims at increasing productivity and
reducing poverty.Therefore, this study assessed the impact of United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) -Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in
Targeted Sites (MARKETS) II project on the productivity and poverty status of rice faming
households in Ebonyi State, Nigeria with a view to showcase the contribution of USAIDMARKETS
II project to poverty reduction and rice productivity. Multi-stage sampling technique
was employed to select 239 participants and 252 non-participants of the project for the study.
Structured questionnaire and field observation were used in collecting data for 2018 cropping
season. Data collected were analysed using descriptive (frequency,mean and standard deviation)
and inferential (Net Farm Income (NFI), Return Per Naira Invested (RNI), Logit model, Total
Factor Productivity (TFP), Foster, Greer and Thorbeecke)statistics. The USAID-MARKETS II
project employed several empowerment strategies towards improving the well -being and
productivity of farming households in the project sites. These include, supply of improved rice
seeds, fertilisers, training and extension support. The results that emanated from the study showed
that age, household size, extension visit, years in cooperative society, education and years of rice
farming experience were the significant factors that influenced participation in USAIDMARKETS
II in Ebonyi State. Results further showed that rice production is profitable in the
study area and there was no significant difference between the mean technical, allocative and economic efficiency of participants and non-participants of the project. The result of Total Factor
Analysis shows an increase in total factor productivity by 38% for participants of USAIDMARKETS
II. Using Propensity Score Matching (PSM), the average impact estimation shows
that USAID-MARKETS II had a positive and significant impact on productivity of the
participants by 1.075(38.1%). The Average Treatment Effect (ATE) on the treated for rice farming
households from the overall population is larger with a value of 1.178 (41.7%) compared to the
untreated category. The LATE estimates revealed a significant mean difference of 0.406 (7.75%)
in rice productivity between participants and non-participants of the project. The analysis also
reveal that the average increase in total productivity brought about by participation in USAIDMARKETS
II was 0.396 (14%). Also, the study revealed that participation in USAID-MARKETS
II project increases the participants‟ monthly per capita income by N5,336.9 (45.5% increment) as
showed by PSM. LATE estimates showed that USAID-MARKETS II project increases
participants‟ monthly per capita income by N1,193.86 (5.4% increment). Household size, sex, and
farm size were the significant factors that influenced poverty status of participants and nonparticipants
of USAID-MARKETS II. Major constraints faced by the rice farming households in
rice production are; inadequate fund for rice production, high cost/inadequate labour, birds, pests
and disease incidences, Fulani herdsmen grazers (clash with pastoralist) and inadequate land for
rice production. Despite the significant impact of the project on productivity and poverty
reduction, there is the need for the project to be extended to other states and areas in Ebonyi that
were not involved in the project. In addition, government at the federal, state and local government levels should consider establishing grazing reserves or commercial ranches across various area in
Ebonyi state to reduce the issue of farmers and herdsmen clashes.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES AHMADU
BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE
AWARD OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) DEGREE IN AGRICULTURAL
ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS,
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
IMPACT ASSESSMENT,, USAID-MARKETS IION PRODUCTIVITY,, POVERTY STATUS,, RICE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS,, EBONYI STATE,, NIGERIA