Assessing the Performance of Cocoa and Oil-palm Production on Inclusive Growth in Nigeria

Abstract

Over the years, cocoa and oil palm production have been one of the major market of export for International trade and a major source of economic growth in Nigeria. However,the production of cocoa and oil palm has been below expectation as a result of government diverting its attention to the oil and gas sector and consequent low attention in the agricultural sector. This study, therefore, examines the relationship between performance of cocoa and oil palm production on inclusive growth in Nigeria (1981- 2014). It employed Johansen co-integration test to determine the long run relationship between the performances of cocoa-oil palm production on inclusive growth in Nigeria, which is complemented with the Error Correction Mechanism (ECM). The results revealed that cocoa and oil palm production exact positive and significant effect on inclusive growth in both short and the long run. Thus, it is recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should invest in activities such as basic and applied agricultural research, agricultural extension and capacity building, irrigation development and agribusiness development that will promote agricultural production resulting in pro-poor growth.