Resource Use Efficiency among Cassava Farmers in Ilesa West Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study determined the level of resource used efficiency among Cassava farmers in Ilesa West Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to collect data from 50 respondents from four selected wards in the Local Government Area. The data collected were analysed using a descriptive statistics and a production functional analysis. The result shows that 60% of the farmer's age was between 31 and 50 years. Out of which (70%) of the farmers were males while the 60% of the farmers were married with 62% having family sizes ranging from 6 to 10 individuals. Farmers with primary and secondary school education dominated the cassava production activities. The result further shows that 52% of the farmers source their capitals from their savings to finance their activities, while 58% of cassava farmers consider their engagements in cassava production activities as a primary occupation. Most of the cassava farmers (82%) have at least 10 years of experience in cassava production activities. Resource use analysis shows that fertiliser, labour and herbicide were under-utilised while cassava cuttings were over-utilised. It was concluded that cassava producers in the study area were not efficient in their resource utilisation. Thus, the study recommended that cassava farmers in the study area should increase the level of fertiliser, labour and chemical but reduce the quantities of cassava cutting in cassava production.