Involvement of Farm Households in Bush Buck (Gongronema latifolium) Production in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the involvement of farm households’ in bush buck (utazi) production in Agricultural zones of Anambra State, Nigeria. Using multistage sampling technique, a total of 100 household heads were purposively selected from the four Agricultural zones (Aguata, Awka, Onitsha and Anambra) in the State. Primary data was collected with structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistic such as mean, frequency count and percentage. It was found that the mean age of the farmers was 42 years. Greater proportions (72.5%) of the respondents were males, 73.5% married, with mean farming experience of 12years. The mean household size was 5 persons, with annual mean income of ₦50.000. Many of them (58.8%) had a mean farm size of 0.06-0.13 hectares. While 63.8%of them used both family + hired labour in production of bush buck, 75.2% of the farmers produced bush buck commercially. The agronomic activity most perceived by farmers as important in bush buck production was harvesting (=3.79). Their major constraints in the production of bush buck were pests and diseases (= 3.10), and weed infestation (=3.01), while their major extension need was provision of information on control of pests and diseases (= 3.24). It was recommended that extension agents should disseminate information to the farmers and enlighten them on management of pests and diseases in bush bucks production.