THE IMPACT OF IMPROVED MAIZE TECHNOLOGY ON RESOURCE USE AND FARM INCOME IN THE NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA OF NIGERIA
THE IMPACT OF IMPROVED MAIZE TECHNOLOGY ON RESOURCE USE AND FARM INCOME IN THE NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA OF NIGERIA
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Date
1997
Authors
KYIOGWOM, USMAN BAUTA
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Abstract
The oil boom experienced in Nigeria in the 1970' s
precipitated a crisis in the agricultural sector. Government
in retu::n, had initiated deliberate Policy measures to arrest
the situation. The introduction OF the improved maize
technology into the Northern Guinea Savanna (NGS) is one of
such measures. The technology was introduced with the aim of
increasing food production, reducing food import bills and to
increase the farm income of farmers.
The main objective of the study was to determine the
extent to which the technology has affected farm income and
resource use. This is necessary because of the importance
government attaches to equity as an objective of developmental
efforts;.
In order to accomplish the objective of the study, five
villages were selected based on past history of maize
production, intensification of agricultural production,
closeness to urban center (market) and accessibility. Ten
farmers were selected from each village for an in depth study.
Since all the farmers interviewed produced maize, they were
categorized into three categories; Big, Intermediate and
Small.
This was with a view to seeing the effect of the
technology on different category of farmers and the
implications for income distribution. The maintained
hypothesis in this respect was that Big farmers by virtue of
their position have better access to modern agricultural
inputs than the other categories and are likely to gain more
from a modern technology which may exacerbate income
inequality.
It was found that the maize technology has been widely
adopted in the study area, but its increased use or acceptance
is beinc threatened by inadequate and untimely availability of
fertilisers, draught, possibility of contamination and the
lack of proper understanding of the technology.
Ths pattern of labour use for the technology was the same
with the competing enterprises with a peak demand at the time
of weeding and harvesting. Resource were more productive in
maize compared to the competing enterprises. In addition, the
technology was more capital intensive.
The average net farm income of farmers seem to have
increased and so was income inequality among farmers. The
quantify of maize produced was significant in determining the
net farm income. The inequality was more between villages
than between individual members of households.
It was therefore concluded that though the technology has
great potentials for increasing yield and farm income of
farmers, the potential may not be sustainable unless it is
modified to suit the socio-economic characteristics of the
farmers and the bio-physical characteristic of the
environment.
Description
A DISSERTATION
Submitted to the
department of Agricultural
Economics and Rural Sociology
Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
1997
Keywords
IMPACT,, IMPROVED,, MAIZE,, TECHNOLOGY,, RESOURCE,, FARM,, INCOME,, NORTHERN,, GUINEA,, SAVANNA,, NIGERIA.