Economic Analysis of Maize-Cowpea Intercrops in Akko Local Government Area, Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted in Akko Local Government Area, Gombe state, Nigeria to examine the cost and return analysis of maize-cowpea intercrop enterprise. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to 50 respondents on their socio economic characteristics, inputs and output, cost incurred and the revenue realized for the 2013 production season using random sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis and regression analysis were the analytical tools used in analyzing the data. The result showed that majority of the sampled farmers (74.6%) was within the age bracket of 31-50 years with (88.9%) that had one form of education or the other. Fertilizer constituted the bulk (47.6%) of the total cost of production. The gross margin, net farm income and return per naira invested were found to be Naira 21245, Naira 20608, N0. 93 per hectare respectively. Double-log model was chosen as the lead equation, the result further indicated that age, seeds and fertilizer are positively significant at p>_ 0.05 with R2 of 55.4% while educational level hired labor and insecticides gave a negative elasticity of their respective coefficients. Insufficient credit facilities, high cost of inputs pest and diseases and use of manual operation are the major constraints in the study area. Therefore it is recommended that credit delivery from lending agencies, inputs early and resistant varieties and labor saving techniques should be made readily available and affordable to farmers to improve their production with the generation of optimum profit. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbayr.v2i1.20537 Journal of the Bangladesh Association of Young Researchers (JBAYR): Vol.2(1), 2012 & 2013: 9-20