ANALYSIS OF PROFITABILITY AND RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY IN CASSAVA FARMING IN BENUE STATE OF NIGERIA
ANALYSIS OF PROFITABILITY AND RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY IN CASSAVA FARMING IN BENUE STATE OF NIGERIA
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Date
2016-02
Authors
OKOH, Margaret Alache
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Abstract
The study was conducted to analyze the profitability and resource use efficiency of cassava
farming in Benue State. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select one hundred
and eighty-six (186) cassava farmers from three local Government Areas. Primary data
were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, production
function analysis, farm budgeting techniques and multiple regression analysis were
employed to analyze the data. The results showed that the mean age of farmers was 46
years. About 72% of the cassava farmers were male. The average household size was 9,
average years of farming experience was 15 years and average farm size was 1.28 hectares.
The results of the input and output levels used showed that, farm size was about 1.28
hectares, cassava cuttings was about 144 kg/hectare, fertilizer (N.P.K 15:15:15) was about
439.27 kg/hectare, agro-chemical (glyphosate) was about 7.46 liters/hectares and labour
was 232.62 mandays/hectares. Average output was 9.15 tonnes of fresh tubers/hectare. The
results of the Cobb-Douglas production function analysis showed that all the variables
(cassava cuttings, labour, farm size, fertilizer and agro-chemicals) in the model were all
important in explaining the variations that occurred in the output of cassava at 51% level of
variation. The results of resource use efficiency showed that cassava cuttings and farm size
were under-utilized while labour, agro-chemicals and fertilizer were over-utilized. The
sum of elasticities coefficient (that is, returns to scale estimate) is 0.824 and this indicates a
positive decreasing returns to scale. The net farm income per hectare was N59,077 with a
return on investment of 0.27. The major constraints faced by cassava farmers in the study
area were identified among others to be poor storage facilities, inadequate supply of
improved planting materials, and inadequate capital. It was recommended among others,
that agricultural policy measures should be taken towards provision of ready market with
stable prices for cassava produce through marketing boards. In conclusion, farmers are
encouraged to go into cassava farming as it is a profitable enterprise in the study area.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE
STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, IN PARTIAL
FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER
OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND
RURAL SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
ANALYSIS,, PROFITABILITY,, EFFICIENCY,, CASSAVA FARMING,, BENUE STATE,, NIGERIA