Determinants of Cassava Output among Small Scale Farmers in Nigeria: A Survey of Akwa Ibom State Farmers

Abstract

The study employed primary data collected through a multistage sampling technique from 90 respondents to examine the determinants of cassava output in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Data were analyzed using Gross margin analysis, simple descriptive statistics as well as Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression technique. Findings indicated that educated (75.6%), female (68.9%) farmers, majority who were within the age bracket of 31-40 years, with an average household size and mean farming experience of 6 and 10 dominated cassava production. The average Gross Margin and Net Income of N154,840 and N125,590 per hectare showed that cassava production was profitable. The study further showed that educational level, farm size, household size, farming experience, labour, and extension visit significantly influence cassava output in the study area. Also, high cost of cuttings and other inputs, high cost of labour, uneconomical size holdings, inadequate finance and storage facilities constituted the main cassava production problems in the study area. This informed the need for the government to give subsidy in the form of basic farm inputs to farmers, pursue policies that would enhance access to land, provide storage facilities and extension advice as well as encouraging farmers to take up cassava farming as a profitable venture in the study area as the way out.