Abstract
The study compared the economic performance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculenta) under irrigation and rain fed systems in Bassa and Makurdi Local Government Areas of Kogi and Benue States of Nigeria, with the aim of assessing the determinants of its profitability. Primary data obtained from a sample of 120 farmers by stratified and multi-staged random sampling from four villages were analyzed using percentages, means, gross margin, net profit, Shepherd-future coefficient and exponential regression model of combined profit function. Results revealed gender inequality; all respondents under irrigation system were male, compared to 71.7% female participation under rain fed system. Average net profits were N128,750 and N57,050; and economic efficiencies were 1.380 and 0.986 for irrigated and rain-fed systems respectively. Results also showed that farm size, planting material and herbicide were significant at one and five percent levels, and positively correlated with farmers’ profit; while age and costs of fertilizer and labor were negative. The study concludes that tomato is more profitable and economically efficient under irrigation; and that increased access to land, herbicides, and improved seeds will promote profitability of the crop in the study area. Key words: Irrigation, rain-fed, tomato (Lycopersicon esculenta), profitability, economic efficiency.
Highlights
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculenta) is an important vegetable crop grown in many parts of the world, contributing significantly to income security and the nutritive diets of many households
Descriptive and inferential statistics including frequency, percentage, gross margin and net profit analyses were used to describe the socio-economic characteristics of farmers and level of profitability of tomato crop production
The results revealed that all the farmers under irrigation s ystem were male while about 72% of farmers under rainfed system were female farmers (Table 1); indicating gender inequality in access of farmers to irrigation facilities, and insensitivity of the irrigation programme to the Millennium Development Goal of gender equality and women empowerment
Summary
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculenta) is an important vegetable crop grown in many parts of the world, contributing significantly to income security and the nutritive diets of many households. Global production of fruits and vegetables tripled from 396 million MT in 1961 to 1.34 billion MT in (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, 2005). Denton and Swarup (1983) observed that tomato production in the Northern States as in other parts of the country is done during the dry season, while its production is scarce during the rainy season because of high disease incidence associated with growing tomatoes and preference of tomato producers for grain food crops during rainy season. Between 2009 and 2010, Nigeria imported a total of 105,000 metric tons of tomato paste valued at over 16 billion Naira to bridge the deficit gap between supply and demand in the country (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2006). Kalu (2013) attributed this situation to socio-economic constraints surrounding the key actors in the tomato value chain, institutional weaknesses and declining agricultural research
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