Years Of Farming Experience Research Articles

Human Resources for Local Goat Breeders in Post-Mining Land Areas in Pomalaa District, Indonesia

The ruminant livestock population in Southeast Sulawesi in 2021 for goats is spread evenly in 17 urban districts with a total of 195,575 heads. Goat farming in general in Southeast Sulawesi does not yet have a clear direction and purpose because breeders who raise goats are still extensive or semi-intensive. Local goats such as the Kacang goat and the Ettawa breed are the types of goats that are kept by many breeders in this area. Southeast Sulawesi has 69 mining business units with the largest area in North Konawe Regency at 2.400.6 hectares, Kolaka Regency at 1.215.28 hectares, and South Konawe Regency with 3.686.27 hectares owned by PT Antam Tbk and PT Vale Indonesia Tbk. This study explicitly examines the resources of local goat breeders in the post-mining land area in Polamalaa District, Kolaka Regency with a purposive sampling technique. The findings are then analyzed descriptively to reveal the actual phenomena and events that occurred during the research. The findings showed that the average age of the respondents as local goat breeders ranged from 46-60 years, which was dominated by men with the lowest level of education who had not graduated from elementary school. In addition to having a job as a breeder, the majority of breeders work in the food crop agriculture sector with more than 15-20 years of farming experience

A Study on Socio-economic Status of Tomato Growers in Solan District of Himachal Pradesh

Tomato is one of the most consumed and produced horticulture crops in the world. It is more economical than food grains due to their higher production per unit area in less time as they provide a good source of income to farmers. The present study has been conducted to study the socio-economic status of tomato growers in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. The multi-stage sampling technique and pre-tested interview schedule were used for data collection for the study. A sample was collected from eight villages in Solan district to make a total sample size of 80 tomato growers in the study area for the agricultural year 2021-2022. Mean, percentage, frequency, and standard deviation were used to find out the socio-economic status of tomato growers. The result revealed that majority i.e., 80 per cent of tomato growers belonged to middle aged group and 33.75 per cent had primary school education. About 76.25 per cent of tomato growers had joint family with 3 to 7 family members. 77.5 per cent of tomato growers had 0.5 to 3.17 bigha under tomato cultivation with 11 to 42 years of farming experience. The gross income of tomato growers was Rs. 60,000 per bigha and net income was Rs. 38,353 per bigha. The output input ratio worked out to be 1.77. The majority i.e., 55 per cent of tomato growers had medium level of socio-economic class. This study suggests the appointment of more extension personnel at grass root level. This study will be helpful in developing suitable and effective extension programmes to increase tomato production.

Determinants of Intensity of Adoption of Climate Change Adaptation Practices in the Agriculture Sector in Nepal

Climate change has been noticed in the agricultural sector of Nepal which calls for strategies for adaptation and resilience building. We assessed the influence of demographic, institutional factors, and farm characteristics on the adoption of twenty climate change adaptation practices. We used climate change impact survey data of 800 households for Province 1 and analyzed the data using the Poisson regression and corrected the overdispersion using Negative Binomial regression. The results revealed that the operational size of landholding, years of experience in farming and formal education of the household head, the association of members in cooperatives and community-based organizations, the occurrence of disasters in the last five years, male-headed households, and receiving remittance influenced the adoption of a package of climate change adaptation practices in agriculture in Nepal. The results imply that policies should be geared towards enhancing the capacity of farmers through education and skill training, strengthening social networks, increasing investment for the generation and dissemination of climate-resilient agricultural technologies and practices, implementing additional off-farm and on-farm activities to increase income, and improving access to physical resources, education, and information to female-headed households.

STRUKTUR BIAYA USAHA BUDIDAYA LEBAH MADU DI DESA KUAPAN KECAMATAN TAMBANG KABUPATEN KAMPAR (Kasus Usaha Madu “Mekar Sari”)

Communities in the Riau area have started cultivating honey bees both traditionally and in a modern way. However, the development of honey bee farming (Apis cerana) is currently still not progressing even though the business has been running for quite a long time. This could have been caused by several things, namely poor business management, starting from cultivation activities to quite high production costs. This study aims to analyze breeder characteristics and profiles, analyze production costs, production, income, and business efficiency, and analyze the cost structure of the "Mekar Sari" honey bee business. This research was conducted using a survey method, namely in the honey bee (Apis cerana) cultivation business in Kuapan Village, Tambang District, Kampar Regency. The analytical method used in this study is descriptive qualitative and quantitative analysis. The results showed that the breeders made the honey bee business a side business. The farmer is 30 years old and belongs to the productive age, his last education is a Bachelor of Animal Husbandry (S1), 10 years of farming experience, and has 3 dependents (1 wife and 2 children). The profile of the honey bee business "Mekar Sari" started as a group business funded by government assistance, but many members withdrew so the number of honey beekeepers decreased. Only 1 member of the group survives and continues the "Mekar Sari" honey business to this day. The production cost used in the "Mekar Sari" honey business is IDR 77,123,362/year, with a production of 800 kg. Gross income of IDR 120,000,000/year, and net income of IDR 42,876,638/year, and an efficiency of 1.55. The cost structure of the honey bee business "Mekar Sari" consists of the cost of production facilities with a percentage of 91.74%, labor costs of 2.77%, and equipment depreciation costs of 5.44%.

Impacts of microcredit access on climate change adaptation strategies adoption and rice yield in Kwara State, Nigeria

Access to microcredit has received a lot of attention, but, its role in the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies and improvement of rice yield is not often debated. This study investigated the impacts of access to microcredit on the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies and the yield of rice farmers. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 320 rice farmers for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Multivariate Probit regression model, the Poisson regression model with endogenous treatment, and the Endogenous Switching Regression Model. The descriptive results for the entire sample show mean values of 45 years for age, 9 people for household size, 20 years for farming experience, and 19 hectares for farm size. The result also showed that many of the rice farmers are male (94%), married (92%), educated (97%), and belong to rice farmer's associations (85%). Most of the rice farmers have access to microcredit (80%) and the farmers depend largely on their funds from other enterprises (100%). Many of the farmers mostly adopted high-quality-improved seeds (92%). Further findings reveal that age, educational status, household size, farm size, and years of farming experience are factors that largely determine the choice of climate change adaptation strategies adopted. The study also revealed that access to microcredit significantly affected the intensity of adoption of climate change adaptation strategies; and farmers’ age, education, and farm size significantly affected rice yield. Hence, policies that can promote increased access to microcredit should be promoted.

Socio Characteristics of Citronella Farmers in Kedungrandu Village, Banyumas District

Citronella is one of the leading commodities that have competitiveness and high export demand. Citronella is one of the primary ingredients for making essential oils. However, there are not many studies on the individual characteristics of Citronella farmers from a socio-economic point of view. This study aims to understand and analyze the personal characteristics of Citronella farmers in terms of gender, age, last education, farmers’ primary and secondary jobs, experience in farming and cultivation of Citronella, training attended by farmers, and the number of dependents of each farmer’s family. The research method used a survey method with the Simple Random Sampling technique. The data analysis tool used is descriptive statistics analysis. The results showed that the majority of Citronella farmers are male, aged 41-60 years. Most citronella farmers are educated up to elementary school and have their primary job as farm laborers. Citronella farmers mostly have side jobs as farm laborers for other commodities and, on average, have more than 20 years of experience in farming. However, the majority of citronella farmers only have less than three years of experience cultivating citronella.

DETERMINANTS OF HORTICULTURAL ENTERPRISES IN THE INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEM OF PLAIN TERAI IN KAILALI, NEPAL

The farming system defined at the household level and influenced by resource variations comprises diverse elements such as crops, livestock, socioeconomics, and farm management. Diverse topography leads to varied integrated farming practices across Terai, Mid Hill, and Mountain regions of Nepal. This study was conducted in 2019 in Kailali, the Terai district within the Karnali River system, focused on analyzing farming systems in the plain Terai of the river system, examining dominant enterprises and adoption factors with emphasis on the factors influencing horticultural enterprise adoption. The dominant integrated farming system included horticulture, livestock, and agronomy. Household participation showed consistent patterns, with a majority opting for main cereal and horticultural crops, integrating livestock, and less emphasis on fruit trees. In the study area, the adoption of horticultural enterprise is significantly related to total land ownership, years of experience in farming, and training. The horticultural enterprise, encompassing economically significant cash crops and fruits, is a primary focus in the Terai region. This aligns with government priorities, highlighting the importance of promoting and supporting horticultural practices for economic development in the area. The findings emphasize the importance of considering diverse socioeconomic and personal variables for promoting horticultural enterprise adoption in rural agricultural development in Nepal.

Procena prakse prilagođavanja poljoprivrednika klimatskim promenama za ratarske useve u državi Kwara, Nigerija

This study examined the climate change adaptation practices of farmers cultivating arable crops in Kwara State. One hundred and twenty (120) farmers were drawn for this study using multi stage sampling method. An interview schedule was designed to gather relevant data and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Results reveal that the average years of farming experience was 7 years with majority having no formation education. The topmost effects of climate change were crop loss (mean=4.82), food insecurity (mean=480) and the inability to plan ahead (mean=4.79). The leading mitigation practices employed by farmers were organic farming practices (mean=3.59), crop rotation methods (mean=3.53) and afforestation (mean=3.52). Foremost challenges to effective mitigation were insufficient extension contact (mean=4.85), poor support by the government (mean=4.71) and inadequate required production inputs (mean=4.69). Correlation analysis showed that educational status of the farmers indicated positive significant relationship with mitigation practices employed by farmers. The study concluded that organic farming practices, crop rotation methods and afforestation were the leading mitigation practices employed by farmers in Kwara State. There is need for extension organizations in the study area should recruit more extension agents to enable practical field demonstration of climate change adaptation practices.

Efficiency of Pineapple Production and its Determinants: A Case Study of Manipur

The study was conducted in the hills and valley regions of Manipur with the objectives of assessing the level of technical efficiency and determining the factors influencing the technical inefficiency of pineapple production in the state during the year 2022-23. A total of 240 farmers were interviewed in person to gather primary data. A stochastic frontier technique was used in the study to achieve the stated objectives. Results showed that pineapple production was a profitable business. However, the study’s efficiency score of 0.603 indicated that farmers were operating inefficiently. The estimated stochastic production frontier model showed an adverse association between the cost of the sapling, transportation, fertilizer, and manure to the efficiency of pineapple production. According to the technical inefficiency effect model, the only factors that positively explained the technical inefficiency in pineapple production were the farmers’ age and household size while factors like education, years of farming experience, credit availability, and contact with extension agents had a negative effect. Therefore, the study concludes that attracting youth in agriculture, extension services, and production inputs availability has to give due attention to augment the effectiveness of pineapple production across the state and nation as a whole.

FARMERS' RESPONSE TO THE USE OF HYBRID CORN SEEDS SUPERIOR VARIETIES

Superior varieties of corn seeds are an innovation in the agricultural sector that has advantages. The government's efforts, through the Maros Cereal Crops Research Institute, are accelerating the adoption of innovation by providing free superior varieties of hybrid corn seeds to farmers. In order for the program to be implemented well, farmers' responses need to be studied. The aim of the research is to describe farmers' responses to the use of superior varieties of corn seeds, calculate the increase in hybrid corn production after using superior varieties of corn seeds, and analyze the correlation between the responses of farmers using superior varieties of corn seeds and the level of hybrid corn productivity. The research was carried out in Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi Province, lasting for 8 months. The survey method involves conducting in-depth interviews with corn farmers. Determination of the sample using the simple random sampling method. Quantitative descriptive analysis, farming productivity and correlation analysis were used to analyze research data. The research results show that the NASA 29 hybrid corn seed is an innovation of the Ministry of Agriculture's Research and Development Agency, with a potential yield of 13.5 tons ha-1. It is the result of a cross between the hybrid line G10.26-12 as the female parent and MAL03 as the male parent. This hybrid corn parent was taken from the Maros Serealia Center. The superior seed varieties used by respondent farmers are NASA 29 seed varieties and Jh variety 29 seeds. Socio-economic characteristics of farmers, namely age 42 years, formal education completed high school, 17 years of farming experience, farmer income IDR 5,863,636, and an average the farmer's land area is 0.43 ha. The cognitive response score of 752, the affective response score of 541, and the psychomotor response score of 791 are in the good response category. Hybrid corn production before using superior variety seeds was 4,403 kg ha-1 and after using superior variety seeds was 7,751 kg/ha. Increase in corn production by

ASSESSMENT OF THE ADOPTION OF AGROCHEMICALS AMONG YAM FARMERS IN WUKARI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the assessment of the adoption of agrochemicals among Yam farmers in Wukari Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from a purposefully selected sample of 110 yam farmers from Wukari LGA of Taraba State, Nigeria. Data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics (frequency, percentage) and inferential statistics (Anova) (F.test). The study found that, according to the socio-economic characteristics of yam farmers in the study area, a greater percentage (83% of them) fell between age ranges of less than 50 years. Male-dominated yam farming in the study area had 63%; 51% were married. 98% had one form of education or another. A greater percentage, 83%, was found to have more than 5 years of farming experience. The result indicates that the majority of the respondents depend on friends and co-farmers as their sources of information. Findings revealed that the majority were aware of the common agrochemicals used in the study area. In determining the Level of adoption of agrochemicals by yam farmers in the study area, the ANOVA model gave the best fit to the data. The result indicates that 5.433 of the F-value is positive and is significant at the 1% level of significance. It can be concluded that the maximum number of farmers in the study area were aware of agrochemicals, and there is also no significant difference in the level of adoption of agrochemicals between and within the various wards. In line with the findings of the study, the following recommendations are put forward: Since the cost of agrochemicals is high during the planting season, I recommend that farmers purchase agrochemicals before the planting season. It’s also recommended that farmers in the study area should pay for extension services so they can be taught on the need to adopt agrochemicals. Furthermore, cooperative societies should help make agrochemicals available at a subsidy rate for their members.

ICT-Based Market Information and Adoption of Agricultural Seed Technologies Insight from Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja

The purpose if this investigation was to determine the ICT-Based Market Information and Adoption of Agricultural Seed Technologies Insight from Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. The objectives of the study were to; Describe the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the study area, Assess the current level of adoption of ICT-based market information among farmers, Identify the factors that influence the adoption of ICT-based market information among farmers, Examine the challenges faced by farmers, in accessing and using ICT-based market information for their agricultural activities. Data was collected from 120 respondents in the study area using questionnaire, the data were subjected to descriptive data analysis. The results of the analysis showed that majority (60.00%) of the famers were male while 40.00% were female. 52.5% were between the age of 21-30, while 21.7% where between 31 – 40 years old and 15.0% were at least 20 years old, 6.7% were above 60 years old and 3.3% were between 51 – 60 years old with a mean age 51.18. Majority (53.30%) of the farmers have house hold size of 1-4 persons while 35.8% had house hold size of 5-8 persons. Majority (79.2%) of the farmers earn N 0- N100,000 while another 10.8% earns N100,001 – N 200,000. Majority (80.0%) of the farmers have a 0 – 10 years farming experience while 18.3% have 11 – 20 years of farming experience. The study therefore concludes that access to and use of ICT based information marketing is affected by some factors in the study area. The study also concludes that farmer use ICT based information for activities such as communicating with customers, learning of new ways of production and marketing, getting information about business, and to make production and marketing faster and it was recommended that Governments at the national level must collaborate with groups like farmers. Designed to allow the exchange of agriculturally related knowledge, information, and experiences regarding various ICT initiatives and projects in Africa. And Strategies for training and building up people’s, groups’, and communities’ capacity to be knowledgeable about using ICT to gain market information and links to new clients must be developed also doing so speeds up the adoption of new technology, the organization.

Climate Adaptation in Rain-fed Agriculture: Analyzing the Determinants of Supplemental Irrigation Practices in Nepal

Climate change has severely impacted the rain-fed agricultural production system which is dominant in Nepal. This situation demands implementable strategies like supplemental irrigation for mitigating adverse impacts. In spite of the importance of supplemental irrigation, it is not adopted on a wider scale. Hence, this paper aims to assess perceptions of climate change and identify factors that influence the adoption of supplemental irrigation practices. Climate change impact survey data for Province No. 1 (one of the seven provinces in Nepal) with a sample of 800 households were analyzed by using the probit regression model. The results showed that the majority of the farmers perceived increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation, resulting in climate-induced disasters such as drought. Similarly, only about 27% of the households have adopted supplemental irrigation practices. The significant factors influencing the adoption of supplemental irrigation practices were the household head’s number of years of farming experience and education level, distance to motorable roads, operational size of landholding, membership in community-based organizations, and the perception of changes in summer temperature. Considering the empirical results, it is necessary to undertake research on sustainable practices and develop support measures for scaling up this practice as the adoption of this practice is very low in Province No. 1. The policy and strategy should also emphasize enhancing the capacity of farmers in technical and managerial aspects of supplemental irrigation practices, raising awareness about climate change and its impact, and strengthening community-based organizations for sharing and exchanging knowledge and skills. In addition, creating additional employment opportunities to enhance the income of the farmers for mitigating the capital constraint and increasing investment in infrastructures like roads for improving physical access thereby promoting adoption.

Assessment of Extension Interventions for Management of PBW for Enhancing Cotton Production through Frontline Demonstrations among Cotton Growers in Khammam District of Telangana

Frontline Demonstrations were conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Wyra, Khammam district, Telangana, India during kharif (June–December) from 2019, 2020 and 2021 in different villages of Khammam district. Total 30 demonstrations were laid out on farmers’ fields in the district. The main objective was management of PBW with various technological interventions. The study revealed that 70.00% of the respondents had high school or above education, 46.67% of the respondents had more than 10 years of experience in farming, 100.00% gap was observed on use of pheromone traps and Trichogamma cards. The average yield recorded was 2207 kg ha-1 in demonstration plot, a 22.75% increase over farmer’s practice (1808 kg ha-1). The technology gap under 3 year FLD programme was 1043 kg ha-1,extension gapwas 399 kg ha-1 with a technology index of 32.09%. The demonstrated plots gave higher gross returns, net return with higher benefit cost ratio when compared to farmer’s practice. In present study efforts were also made to study the impact of FLDs on horizontal spread which increased by 221.42%, adoption levels by 130.60%. The study also revealed that there was significant increase in knowledge level of the farmers due to frontline demonstrations, a significant and positive relationship existed between age of the respondent, education, farm size, farming experience, trainings received and extension contacts with yield of cotton.

Opinion Leaders versus Interpersonal Forces: Analysis of the Relative Influence on Zimbabwean Farmers Input Purchase Behavior

This study had the primary aim of analyzing the relative influence of opinion leaders and interpersonal forces on farmers’ input purchases. The interpersonal factors analyzed in the study include age, education, income, years of farming experience, farm size, and family/friends while the opinion sources investigated include input supplier/distributors, extension agents, other farmers, cooperative leaders, and internet search. The study also had the secondary objective of determining the most influencing interpersonal factor and the most influencing opinion source on farmers’ input purchases decision. The study employed the use of the descriptive research design and quantitative research methods in data collection and analysis. Data was collected through a survey of 100 farmers in Bulawayo Metropolitan province of Zimbabwe using the convenience sampling technique. Findings indicate that interpersonal forces have more influence on farmers’ input purchase decisions than opinion leaders. Findings also indicate that farmers’ farming experience is the most influencing interpersonal factor in this study while other farmers’ opinions are the most influencing opinion source. Other farmers’ opinions are also based on their own experience; therefore, experience is the crucial factor influencing input purchase decisions. The implications of this finding on practice are that farmers are inclined to reject new inputs they and other farmers have no experience with and it is therefore recommended that both extension agents and input suppliers develop strong partnerships with farmers to influence the adoption of new inputs.

Access to trade credit and its impact on the use of European Union (EU) approved pesticides among smallholder cocoa farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria

The use of EU-approved pesticides is low in Ondo State, especially among smallholder cocoa farmers. Perhaps, trade credit, being one of the most important sources of credit, would increase the use of EU-approved pesticides among smallholder cocoa farmers. Therefore, this study investigated access to trade credit and its impact on the use of EU-approved pesticides among smallholder cocoa farmers in Ondo State. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 240 smallholder cocoa farmers for the study. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a double hurdle regression model, and an endogenous switching probit regression model. The descriptive results showed that on average, respondents were 44 years of age, 16 years of farming experience, 7 people for household size, and 2.70 hectares for farm size. Most of the respondents obtain trade credit from their respective farmers' cooperatives (82%), while others obtain trade credit from input suppliers (73%) and cocoa exporters (66%). It was also noted that only 35% (84/240) of the smallholder cocoa farmers use EU-approved pesticides on their cocoa farms. A majority (73.4%) of the respondents used the Ridomin 66WP gold (Cuprous Oxide + metalaxyl-M). Others use Esiom 150SL (Acetamiprid) (37.5%), Funguran-OH (Copper hydroxide) (49.1%), touch down fort (Glyphosate) (47.5%), and Actara 25WG (Thiamethoxan) (25%). The result further showed that age, gender, household size, farm size, cooperative membership, and assets significantly influenced the probability of a farmer receiving trade credit. However, gender, household size, year of farming experience, cooperative membership, and assets are statistically significant in determining the amount of trade credit obtained by the farmers. The first stage of the ESPM revealed that gender, age, household size, farm size, and cooperative membership significantly influence the smallholder cocoa farmers' access to trade credit. While the second stage of the ESPM revealed that significant use of EU-approved pesticides among users of trade credit is affected by age, household size, education, access to extension services, and cooperative membership. Meanwhile, among non-users of trade credit, variables such as age, farming experience, farm size, land ownership, and cooperative membership significantly affect the use of EU-approved pesticides. After controlling for observed and unobserved covariates, the study concluded that access to trade credit positively impacts the use of EU- approved pesticides among smallholder cocoa farmers. It was concluded that policy strategies aimed at increasing the use of EU-approved pesticides among small cocoa farmers should take into account trade credit.

Observed time series trend analysis of climate variability and smallholder adoption of new agricultural technologies in west Shewa, Ethiopia

This study was aimed at analyzing time-series trends and variability analysis of observed rainfall and temperature records from 16 stations during the 1985–2015 period. Besides, it focused on the smallholders’ perceptions, including the analysis of their response strategies to both observed and perceived climate variability and its determinants. Both purposive and random sampling procedures were used. Mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) of the research were used. The sample household survey method was used to collect primary data from smallholder farmers, while key informant interviews were used to gather qualitative data from the experts. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data, whereas a discussion guide checklist was used to gather qualitative data. A total of 397 respondents and 24 key informants were used as sources of primary data. In addition, visits to the National Meteorology Agency of Ethiopia were made to collect recorded climate data. Descriptive statistics and econometric models were used to analyze quantitative data, whereas thematic categorization was used to analyze and report qualitative data. The results show that both the summer and annual rainfall have an increasing trend but are not statistically significant. With regards to variability, low to moderate levels of variability were recorded according to the seasons and annual rainfall. The result of the Mann-Kendall test shows that the mean minimum temperature was raised by 0.05 °C while the maximum temperature rose by 0.03 °C/30 years. The monthly maximum temperature also shows an increasing trend, with the lowest record during August (22.05 °C) and the highest in March (26.49 °C. Besides, smallholder farmers’ perceptions were in accordance with recorded station data. In response to both observed and perceived climate variability and its extremes, smallholder farmers in the study area were striving to adopt different adaptation strategies. Rain variability, frequency of extension contact, years of farming experience, access to institutions and infrastructure, wealth status, market access, and the number of active labor force within the household all hampered smallholder farmers' efforts to implement potential measures. In contrast, the high prices of chemicals and improved seed, access to credit services, land size, and limited access to accurate and timely early warning information all negatively and significantly influenced the adaptation decisions of smallholder farmers in the area. Therefore, the impacts of abnormal trends or shifts in observed rainfall and temperature patterns, along with socio-economic, technological, and behavioral factors, call for policymakers to set strategies that will enable smallholders to improve their livelihoods, ensure food security, and build resilience in the face of climatic extremes.

Effects of Micro-Credit Scheme on Rice Production among Smallholder Farmers in Kwali Area Council, Abuja

This study examined the effects of microcredit schemes on rice production among smallholder farmers in Kwali area council Abuja, FCT. A survey research design was employed in the study. A total of 100 respondents were used in the study and they were sampled using a multi-stage sampling technique. Primary data was used for the study, and these were collected using well–structured questionnaires Regression analysis based on Cobb-Douglas model was conducted to check how micro-credit influences productivity. Based on the findings, it was discovered that 60% of the respondents were male, 52% were married with an average household size of 5 persons. Results further revealed that 70% of the respondents had 5-15 years of farming experience, and 45% of the respondents had secondary education. The main source of credit accessed by the smallholder farmers is the cooperative society. The study revealed as follows; educational level, household size, farming experience and access to credit were the significant variables that increased rice production among smallholder farmers. This study recommends that commercial banks should ensure that agricultural loan is giving priority, especially to smallholder farmers, as this will enhance the increase in quantity and quality of rice production.

Farmers’ Preferred Genotype Traits and Socio-Economic Factors Influencing the Adoption of Improved Cowpea Varieties in South-Central Niger

Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) (Walpers, 1842), is an important legume for food and nutrition security, and income generation. Despite decade-long efforts to disseminate improved varieties, cowpea productivity remains low in Niger. This is due, in part, to the limited adoption of improved cowpea varieties among farmers. Increasing the adoption of improved cowpea varieties requires a better understanding of farmers’ preferred genotype traits and socio-economic factors that influence their decision. We interviewed 634 farmers from the south-central regions (Maradi and Zinder) of Niger to assess factors that influence their decision to adopt improved cowpea varieties. The average age of the respondent was 41 years with 29 years of farming experience. Eight improved cowpea varieties were grown by these farmers with average adoption rates ranging from 3.3 to 38.0%. Genotype traits that influenced farmers’ decision to adopt improved cowpea varieties included early maturing (86.9%), high yielding (73.9%), and high market value (50.5%). Socio-economic factors that significantly influenced adoption were age, gender, membership in a farmers’ organization, and contact with the extension services. Adoption is constrained by the limited availability of cowpea varieties with farmers’ preferred genotypes traits. Farmers’ preferences for genotype traits must be considered in the early stages of breeding programs and the release of new varieties to increase adoption. Stakeholders involved in the cowpea value chain can use this information to improve cowpea adoption and productivity.

THEMATIC MEASURES FOR REDUCING POST-HARVEST LOSSES OF VEGETABLE CROPS AMONG FARMERS IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

The survey was carried out to ascertain thematic measures for reducing post-harvest losses of vegetable crops among farmers in Benue State, Nigeria. Questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 96 respondents used for the study. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean score, and standard deviation. Findings of the study revealed that about 57% of the respondents were females while 42.7% were males, 46.9% of the respondents were aged 31–40 years, and majority (80.2%) were married with 75.0% of the respondents having farming as a major occupation. A greater percentage (78.1%) of the respondents had between 6 and 10 years of farming experience and mean household size of about six persons. Results show effects of post-harvest losses to include reduction in income generation (M=3.80), decrease in quality of produce (M=3.66), unstable supply of produce (M=3.39), high cost of vegetable (M=3.30), decrease in nutritional content of the produce (M=3.26), loss of investment made by the farmer (M=3.25), and reduction on availability of vegetables for household consumption (M=3.24). Adequate provision of storage facilities (M=3.85), proper cleaning of produce (M=3.65), proper packaging of produce (M=3.60), adequate transportation facilities (M=3.56), sale of produce immediately after harvest (M=3.45), and harvesting at the right time (M=3.45) were measures indicated by the respondents for reducing post-harvest losses of vegetable crops. The study therefore recommends that there is a need for provision of adequate storage facilities to prevent losses of vegetable crops after harvesting. It also highlights that good sanitation practices in all post-harvest operations are very important factors in eliminating sources of infection and reducing contamination.