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Efficiency of Resource Use in Sesame Production in Benue State   CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for more than 60% of Nigeria’s population (National Bureau of Statistics, 2007; Federal Ministry of Agriculture, 2010). In 2005, for instance, the sector gave employment to 46% of the population and contributed about 40% of GDP of the country (NBS, 2007; FMA, 2010). Of the four sub sectors of agriculture, crop subsector contributed 85% of GDP, while livestock contributed about 10%, fisheries about 4%and forestry 1% (Federal Republic of Nigeria,2006).Growth performance of agriculture is therefore largely driven by the performance of crop subsector on account of dominance (CBN, 2009; FAO, 2009). Agricultural sector occupies a significant link in the food security and...

Traditional and Modern Groundnut Processing and Marketing in North Central Nigeria   ABSTRACT The study evaluated the traditional and modern groundnut processing and marketing in North Central Nigeria. The focus was on groundnut oil processing and marketing systems; input use efficiency in production and factors that made for efficiency; profitability of the processing activity and factors that determined profitability; examination of value added by processing; integration of markets for the processed products and problems of the industry. A total of 175 traditional processors were selected and 17 small-Scale modern processors covered from Nasarawa, Benue and Niger States. Pre-tested, structured questionnaires and observations were used as instruments of data collection. Types of data collected were those on socio-economic...

Consumer Preferences and Demand for Livestock Products in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria   ABSTRACT This study investigated consumer preferences and demand for livestock products in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria, specifically the demand and preference rankings for different attributes of milk and meat products. The survey was conducted among 384 consumer households from eight local government areas of Kano Metropolis. Factor analysis and cluster analysis were used to identify market segments based on consumer preferences, behaviour and lifestyles. Differences between segments were analyzed. Preference ranking for different brands of milk from the study showed that, other things being equal, the most preferred and regularly consumed milk was powdered full cream which was considered the most tasty and nutritious. The socio-economic...

Effects of Migrant Remittances on Farm Household Welfare in Nigeria   CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1       Background Information Remittances have been defined as the proportion of migrants’ earnings sent from their destination of employment to their origin or communities (Samal, 2006). As financial flows that do not require a quid pro quo in economic value, they can be termed transfer payment in Balance of Payment Accounting. Remittances are considered as compensation (brain gain) for the loss of human capital (brain drain) by a net labour exporting country (Ratha & Xu, 2006).  Relevant classification of remittances include: monetary versus non-monetary remittances; domestic versus international remittances, and inward versus outward remittances. The principal concern in this research is monetary-...

Farm-level Analysis of Off-farm Income and Farm Capital Accumulation Among Small-scale Farmers in North-central Nigeria                                                               Abstract The study analysed off-farm income and farm capital accumulation among small-scale farmers at farm level in North Central Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 360 respondents, comprising participants and non-participants in off-farm work. The participants were disaggregated into three main typology namely, agricultural wage, non-agricultural wage, and self-employments. Data for the study were obtained from primary source with the aid of standard questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Self-employment was the dominant (42.78%) off-farm...

Economic Study of Cassava Production in Abia State, Nigeria     ABSTRACT The research study examined economics of cassava production in Abia State, Nigeria. Information was gathered from 105 farmers and analyzed to describe the farming systems and the socio-economic characteristics of Abia cassava farmers, estimate the profitability of cassava production, analyze the factors that affect profitability of cassava, estimate technical and economic efficiency of cassava production, identify and estimate the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers that affect their technical and economic efficiency, identify and analyze the factors that influence the rate of technology adoption and the  intensity of use after adoption and identify the constraints to increased cassava production in the study area. Multi-stage random sampling...

Effects of Climate on Arable Crop Farmers’ Productivity, Food Security and Adaptation Strategies in Nigeria   ABSTRACT The study analyzed the effects of climate change on arable crops’ productivity, food security and adaptation strategies in Nigeria. It specifically ranked climate change risks affecting farmers in Nigerian agro-climatic zones; estimated the effects of climate factors on farm productivity (yield and net revenue variability); determined the effects of climate and socioeconomic variables on the level of household food security; ascertained the influence of farmers’ perception of climate change’s effects and household characteristics on choice of adaptation technologies adopted in coping with climate variability. It also evaluated the influence of gender on level of adoption of climate change adaptation...

Farmers’ Awareness of Climate Change and Agricultural Intensification in Ebonyi State, Nigeria   ABSTRACT The study investigated farmers’ awareness of climate change and agricultural intensification in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. It utilized both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected through a multistage random sampling technique from 99 respondents, out of which only 93 were useful in the analyses. The secondary data were collected from relevant government institutions such as the National Population Commission, Ebonyi State Ministry of Lands and Survey and National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources. These data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, shifting cultivation ratio, Ricardian approach, multiple regression and multinomial logit models. Tests of...

Economics of Small Scale Soybean Processing Firms in Anambra State, Nigeria   ABSTRACT The study investigated the economics of small scale soybean processing firms in Anambra State, Nigeria using primary data. It examined the technologies used for small scale soybean processing; the socioeconomic and institutional factors that influenced the choice of technologies used; the technical efficiency of small scale soybean processing firms; the value added by processing soybean; the profitability, factors that affected profitability; the constraints to small scale soybean processing firms; and the level of gender participation in small scale soybean processing. Using well-structured questionnaire, multistage random sampling technique was adopted to select 150 soymilk processing firms and 100 soyflour processing firms from three(3)...

Analysis of Cocoyam (Xanthosoma Sagittifolium and Colocasia Esculenta) Marketing in Rivers State, Nigeria     CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION                        1.1       Background Information                                                                            American Marketing Association (2004) gave a definition of marketing which views marketing as “an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders.”  Kotler & Armstrong (1991) defined marketing as a process by which individuals and groups obtained what they needed and wanted by creating and...

Credit Access and the Performance of Small Scale Agro-based Enterprises in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria   ABSTRACT The study was designed to analyze credit access and performance of small scale agro-based enterprises in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 264 and 96 agro-based enterprises that accessed informal and formal credit respectively, through the use of structured questionnaire and oral interview. A total of 360 respondents were selected and used for the study.  Socio-economic characteristics of the enterprises were described using descriptive statistical tools such as percentages, means and frequencies. The logit model was used to examine enterprise characteristics that had significant influence on informal and formal credit access by small scale agro-based...