Agripreneurship orientation and fruits business in Ondo state
Abstract
The study was to assess Agripreneurship orientation and fruits business in Ondo state. The following objectives was assessed: To examine the socio-economic characteristics of fruit farmer in Ondo state, to assess farmer’s perception on major sources of risk in fruit farming in Ondo state, to ascertain the contribution of fruit farming to economy of Ondo state, to ascertain the role fruits play in the nutrition and health in Ondo state and to determine the production resources in fruit farming in Ondo state. The method of data analysis that will be used by the researcher is the chi-square. More so, percentage and degrees of the responses was used in the analysis. The total population for the study is 100 farmers and 100 staffs of ministry of agriculture were selected randomly. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up of male farmers, female farmers, directors and administrative staffs were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
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Chapter one
Introduction
- Background of the study
When talking about entrepreneurship in agriculture, it is termed as Agriculture Entrepreneurship or Agripreneurship. Agripreneurs, thus, do not differ from entrepreneurs in their basic traits. While profiling some of the agripreneurs (Chander, 2016, 2016a, b and c), I found them very articulate in personal, interpersonal and process skills. It is their pro-risk-taking attitude that makes them more likely to cash upon the opportunity available in new agricultural ventures compared to conventional farmers. They not only believe in new venture new gains, but also work consistently to prove themselves true. They are the trend setting farmers.
Like all entrepreneurs, agripreneurs are risk-takers who deliberately allocate resources to a business venture, in this case an agribusiness, to exploit opportunities in return for profit, they are the primary decision-makers, responsible for the businesses’ success or failure. The agripreneurs who are the focus of this publication are not subsistence entrepreneurs who engage in entrepreneurship as a survival strategy because there are no other options, their businesses are registered or enter the formal economy at least at some stage, and have achieved impact at scale in terms of sales, profits and jobs. Agripreneurs are not only engaged in production level activities, but create and develop agribusinesses all along and around the value chain.
Nigeria is a large country with very large population with the non-farming population concentrated in our big cities all over the country. Feeding the 160 million people in Nigeria today and at the same time conserving our environment is a great challenge facing our farmers and the Government. Thus, sustainable intensification as being practiced by our integrated Vegetable Farmers and Dealers in Ondo State is generally a way forward and an alternative to industrialized farming. Although this sustainable intensification of fruits production may not be a panacea itself it offers a useful approach to improving vegetable food availability given our situation. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO, 1992) estimated that about 790 million people are chronically undernourished in the developing regions of the world. Specifically, daily food consumption consists of mainly cereals, roots and tubers. This poor feeding habit predisposes the people to infections and such disease as typhoid fever, heart, liver and kidney disease due to poor body defense mechanisms. Fruits play a very important role in the nutrition and health (Hulme, 1971; Nagy and Shaw, 1980) especially as they contain substances which regulate or stimulate digestion, act as laxatives or diuretics, pectins and phenoic compounds which play a part in regulating the pH of the intestines. Fruits also contribute to the income of both the rural and urban dwellers. Horticultural crop production creates jobs. On average it provides twice the amount of employment per hectare of production compared to cereal crop production (Ali et al., 2002). The move from cereal production towards high-value horticulture crops is an important contributor to employment opportunities in developing countries (Joshi et al., 2003).
Major fruits produced in Nigeria include mango, pineapple, plantain/banana, citrus, guava, pawpaw. In Nigeria, enormous quantities of fruits are produced and staggering figures are sometimes given as estimated annual production. For example, 35 million tonnes of citrus have been quoted as annual production levels for some fruits, which are really large quantities of food crops (Oyeniran, 1988; Erinle 1989). In spite of the enormous potentials of most of our local fruits for industrial growth and development, very few large scale fruit processing industries abound in Nigeria. Besides, the number of small and medium scale fruit processing plants in the country neither watches the size and structure of the country nor project the potentialities of the various and varieties of fruit grown in the country.
Based on the background, the researcher wants to investigate Agripreneurship orientation and fruits business in Ondo state
1.2 Statement of the problem
Fruits contribute to the income of both the rural and urban dwellers. Horticultural crop production creates jobs. On average it provides twice the amount of employment per hectare of production compared to cereal crop production (Ali et al., 2002). The move from cereal production towards high-value horticulture crops is an important contributor to employment opportunities in developing countries (Joshi et al., 2003). Given the low level of consumption of fruits in Ondo state, the greatest challenge is how to devise the means for improving the production and supply chains of these commodities. This will in turn lower prices and raise incomes. It would also expand, diversify and stabilize supplies thus, ensuring food safety and increasing the desirability of fruits.
Ondo state only produces a small fraction of its annual consumption of fresh fruits and must import these agricultural commodities from other areas to meet our needs. One way in which rural economies can grow is to replace imports with local production, or through import substitution. The other much more common manner in which rural economies can increase local incomes is by increasing the volume or the kinds of commodities that they export. Based on this the researcher wants to investigate Agripreneurship orientation and fruits business in Ondo state
1.3 Objective of the study
The following objectives will be assessed;
- To examine the socio-economic characteristics of fruit farmer in Ondo state
- To assess farmer’s perception on major sources of risk in fruit farming in Ondo state
- To ascertain the contribution of fruit farming to economy of Ondo state
- To ascertain the role fruits play in the nutrition and health in Ondo state
- To determine the production resources in fruit farming in Ondo state
1.4 Research question
- What are the socio-economic characteristics of fruit farmer in Ondo state?
- What are farmer’s perception on major sources of risk in fruit farming in Ondo state?
- What are the contribution of fruit farming to economy of Ondo state?
- What are the role fruits play in the nutrition and health in Ondo state?
- What are the production resources in fruit farming in Ondo state?
1.5 Significance of the study
The study will be very significant to students, farmers and government of Ondo state. The study will give a clear insight on the Agripreneurship orientation and fruits business in Ondo State. The study will assess the contribution of fruit farming on the economy of Ondo state. The study will also serve as a reference to other researchers that will embark on the related topic
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
The scope of the study covers the Agripreneurship orientation and fruits business in Ondo state. The researcher encounters some constraints which limit the scope of the study namely:
The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Definition of terms
Agripreneurship: Agripreneurship refers to entrepreneurship in agriculture
Fruit farming: Fruit farming, growing of fruit crops, including nuts, primarily for use as human food.
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