Factors Influencing Farmers’ Participation in Sweet Potato Farming Practices in Owerri North Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria
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Abstract
The study analyzed farmers’ participation in sweet potato farming practices in Imo State, Nigeria. Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select sixty (80) farmers. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (probit and multiple regression analyses). Result showed half (50.0%) of the farmers were males and females respectively, with mean ages of 45.5 years, 56.7% were married, mean farm size of 0.5 hectares and intercropped cassava/maize/sweet potato (63.3%). The result indicates that farmers’ sourced information on sweet potato farming practices from personal observations (90.0%), fellow farmers (86.7%) and television programmes (78.67%), while 63.3% intercropped sweet potato vines with cassava and maize. The farmers had favourable perception =2.9) and had high participation =2.3) in sweet potato cultivar characteristics. Probit regression result showed that coefficient for tuber yield, vine yield, early maturity, disease and pest tolerant and good culinary test influenced farmers’ participation of sweet potato farming practices. Multiple regression result showed that coefficients of gender, age, marital status, occupation and farm size influenced farmers’ participation of sweet potato production activities in the study area. Breeding of early maturing, high yielding and disease resistant varieties by researchers and access to land for sweet potato farming activities were advocated.
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References
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Tewe O. O., Ojeniyi, F.E. and Abu, O.A. (2003). Sweet potato Production, utilization, and marketing in Nigeria. Social sciences department, International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru.
Udemezue J. C, Obasi, M. N, Chieke, E. C. Oyibo, M. N, Awa P. O. and Onyiba, P. O. (2018). Limitation and processing technologies of sweet potato production by farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 6(2): 51 – 56.
Ukpabi, U. J. (2012). Processing and utilization of sweet potato in root crop research technology transfer training manual, O.B. Arene (eds.). NRCRI Umudike, Nigeria.
Yusuf, O. J. (2018). Effect of membership in co-operative Societies on the socioeconomic status of co-operators in Kwara State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Rural Sociology, 18(1):5 – 14.
Adeoti, A. I., Oluwatayo, I. B. and Soliu, R.O. (2014). Determinants of market participation among maize producers in Oyo State, Nigeria. British Journal of Economics, Management & Trade, 4(7): 1115-1127.
Agbarevo, M.N.B. and Okringbo, J. I. (2019). Effect of technologies of National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike on poverty reduction among farmers in Umuahia agricultural zone, Abia State, Nigeria, Proceedings of the 2nd annual conference of the Society for community and Communication Research, held between 23 – 26 August, held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria, Pp. 114 – 118.
Ajala, A. O., Ogunjimi, S.I. and Farinde, A.J. (2013). Assessment of extension service delivery on improved cassava technologies among cassava farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. International Journal of Applied Agricultural and Apicultural Research 9(1&2): 71- 78.
Arifin, A. A. and Nirawal, M. A. B. (2018). Efficiency and Income of Rice Farming in Rain-Fed Lowland. International Journal of Scientific and Technological Research, 7(2): 32 – 55.
Ayodeji, M A. O., Ajayi, O.O., Solagberu, A. R.,, Olawunmi, O.. O. and Babatunde, P.A. (2019). Effect of value addition on farm income of sweet potato farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 23(4):92 – 98.
Food and Agriculture Organization (2013). Production year book of the United Nations.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAOSTAT) (2018). Statistical Data base on annual sweet potatoes production in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Ace https://www.fao.org/worldsweetpotatoproduction/node/951. Accessed May, 5, 2020.
Heuzé, V., Tran, G., Hassoun, P., 2017. Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) forage. Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/551. Last updated on May 5, 2017, 11:00.
Imo State Planning Commission (2010). Imo State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy Report of the twenty seven Local Government Areas. Imo State Government House Press Owerri.
Issah, S I., Bonaventure, K., Eli, G. and Francis, K. (2017). Sweet Potato value chain analysis reveals opportunities for increased income and food security in Northern Ghana. Advances in Agriculture Journal. Pp.14 – 21. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8767340
Kanu R.U., Nwachukwu, I. and Mazza, M. (2019). Determinants of utilization of selected inputs among youth farmers in Benue State, Nigeria. Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Conference of the Society for Community and Communication Research, held between 23 – 26 August, held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria, Pp. 41 – 45.
Lagat, J.K., and Maina, M.C. (2017). A Gender and Decent Work Analysis of Cassava Production and on - Farm Processing, in Kuria West Sub-county, Kenya. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 12(13), 2533-2544.
Markos, D. and Loha, G. (2016). “Sweet potato agronomy research in Ethiopia: summary of past findings and future research directions,” Agriculture and Food Sciences Research, 3(1): 1–11.
Mbanaso, E. O., Agwu, A. E., Anyanwu, A. C. and Asumugha, G. N. (2012). Assessment of the extent of adoption of sweet potato production technology by farmers in the South East Agro-Ecological Zone of Nigeria, Journal of Agriculture and Social Research, 12(1):124 -136.
National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) (2008). Annual report on sweet potato production, Vol. 12 Pp. 7.
Nwaobiala, C. U. and Anyanwu, C. G. (2017). Socio–Economic Determinants of Farmers’ Utilization of Cassava Intercrop Technologies in Imo State, Nigeria. The Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Extension, 18(4):34 – 40.
Nwaobiala, C. U. and Issac, C. A. (2017). Farmers’ Perception on Improved Cassava Varieties Cultivated in Abia State, Nigeria. The Nigerian Agricultural Journal, 48(2):275 – 283.
Okoye, A.C. (2017). Gender differentials in market competitiveness among smallholder sweet potato farmers in South Eastern Nigeria. A Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Agribusiness and Management. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
Olagunju, F. I. Fakayode, S. B., Babatunde and F. Ogunwole-Olapade R. O. (2013). Gender analysis of sweet potato production in Osun State, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology SCIENCEDOMAIN international, 2(1): 1-13 www.sciencedomain.org.
Onubuogu, G. C. and Onyeneke, R. U. (2012). Market orientation of root and tuber crop production in Imo state, Nigeria: Agricultural Science Research Journal, 2(5):206- 216.
Plaude R., Shintelis, H. and Laing, M. (2015). Farmers’ perceptions, Production and Productivity Constraints, Preferences and Breeding Procedures of Sweet Potato in Rwanda. Horticultural Science Journal, 50(l):36-43.
Rios, A. R, Masters, W. A. and Shively. G. E. (2008). Linkages between market participation and productivity: results from a multi-country farm household sample. Paper prepared for presentation at the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA), Annual Meeting, Orlando, F.L, July 27 -29, 2008.
Tewe O. O., Ojeniyi, F.E. and Abu, O.A. (2003). Sweet potato Production, utilization, and marketing in Nigeria. Social sciences department, International Potato Center (CIP), Lima, Peru.
Udemezue J. C, Obasi, M. N, Chieke, E. C. Oyibo, M. N, Awa P. O. and Onyiba, P. O. (2018). Limitation and processing technologies of sweet potato production by farmers in Anambra State, Nigeria. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 6(2): 51 – 56.
Ukpabi, U. J. (2012). Processing and utilization of sweet potato in root crop research technology transfer training manual, O.B. Arene (eds.). NRCRI Umudike, Nigeria.
Yusuf, O. J. (2018). Effect of membership in co-operative Societies on the socioeconomic status of co-operators in Kwara State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Rural Sociology, 18(1):5 – 14.