Search

The study was carried out to determine profitability of broiler production in Cross River State, Nigeria. A three stage multi sampling technique was adopted in the selection of 180 respondents. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, ranking and percentages, as well as budgeting techniques tools such as net farm income (NFI), return to naira invested (RNI), gross and operating ratios (GR and OR) respectively. Result of analysis showed that socio-economic attributes of broiler farmers - age, sex, marital status, education, experience, business size and training studied influenced on broiler production in the area. Furthermore, the study revealed that broiler production is a profitable venture in the area. This is arising from the difference between a total revenue of N704, 000 and total cost of N419, 153 respectively, representing a net profit of N284, 646.6 or 67.90% of the total amount of money invested, within a production season of eight weeks. The return per naira invested ratio was 1.64, this meant that for every naira invested, N1.64 profit was made by the broiler farmer, this further indicated that the business is profitable. The gross ratio, which measured the overall financial success of the business recorded 0.61. However, cost of feeds, lack of extension services, financial constraints, cost of day old chick’s medication among others are the constraints affecting effective broiler production in the area. Based on the findings of this study, the following are recommended: regular extension training on broiler production should be carried out by the relevant government agencies, feeds should be subsidized and made easily available by government, production of day old chicks should be subsidized by government to cushion the effect of their high cost and livestock farmers should be encouraged to invest on the poultry subsector for it profitability.

The research was carried out to identify the possible constraints and development of strategic policies in expanding and improving cassava production and processing amongst cassava value chain actors in Cross River State, Nigeria. Data generated from the research the 150 cassava producers and processors (cassava value chain actors) through the use of well- define structured interview schedule was collated. The Multistage sampling procedure was adopted in selection of farmer respondents. The multivariate analytical technique was used in analyzing generated data employing the statistical application software of Genstat version 12. The eigen value, percentage variations and loading values contributing to low cassava output were used in achieving the objectives. The results showed that the major constraints to cassava production and processing were agronomic, technical/institutional and financial constraints. The major policy strategies should include a global, national, regional and community strategies all geared towards the evolution of industry analysis for improving cassava productivity in the study area through the development of the traditional farming systems, making good planting material accessible to farmers and on time and at lowest possible prices; the provision of credit facilities to the resource poor cassava –based farmers in the area with no collateral; the establishment of cassava product based cottage industries in the area for cassava value chain development; provision of adequate cassava processing equipment and the formation of cassava farmers’ multipurpose cooperative societies to enhance farmers’ access to benefit from world bank assisted programmes; have free access to basic information and production facilities. The study, therefore, recommended that cassava product based cottage industries be established in the study area in order to encourage both producers and processors in the value addition chain. This will also provide employment and likewise encourage the restive youths in the region to venture into agriculture as a business for economic returns, growth and development of the area. The identified constraints with the higher loading values for each of the principal multivariate should be strengthened using appropriate development strategies/policies to ensure food security and increased farm income for cassava – based farmers in the region.

A study on the analysis and determinants of profit efficiency of cassava farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria was carried out using the stochastic frontier profit function of Cobb-Douglas functional form. Data for the study were collected from primary sources with the aid of a set of structured and pre-tested questionnaires. For the determinants of profit efficiency, the minimum and maximum profit efficiency was 0.14 and 0.91 respectively with mean profit efficiency of 0.65. The mean profit efficiency implies that farmers were able to obtain 65% of their potential profit from a unit mix of inputs. In other words, about 35% of the profit is lost to inefficiency of management. Thus in the short run, there is a scope for increasing profit from cassava production by 35%. Age (0.37), education (0.67) and household size (0.58) had positive impact on profit inefficiency. The analysis of profit inefficiency effect showed a significant gamma (γ = 0.86). This implies that 86% deviation from maximum profit obtainable was as a result of inefficiency of the farmers rather than random error or variability. The signs and significance of the estimated coefficients in the inefficiency model have important implication on profit efficiency of the farmers. It is recommended that farmers should be encouraged to invest in cassava production for its profitability and economic value, inputs should be made available and at affordable prices especially improved varieties of cassava cuttings and cassava farmers should be encouraged to receive training on proper agronomic practices and USAge of inputs to enhance profit efficiency of input use.

Formal agricultural loan is an important tool in agricultural development and key to agricultural modernization. This is because this source of loans enables farmers to have access to production inputs as well as adopt modern farm technologies. For agricultural development to be achieved and sustained, agricultural loan is required especially in the rural areas where majority of the populace are engaged in agriculture. The study set out to analyse the determinants of agricultural loan access from formal sources in Cross River State central agricultural zone, Nigeria and proffer policy recommendations based on the findings. A three-stage random sampling technique was employed to get a total of 100 respondents with the use of a detailed structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression model were used to analyse the data. Result of the analysis showed that socio-economic characteristics of farmers such as: age, gender, occupational status, household size, educational level, farming experience, farm size, farm income, off- farm income, and labour use by respondents determined farmers access or otherwise to loan from formal sources and result of the logit regression model showed that age, education, farm size, collateral, farm income and cooperative membership all affected access of loan from formal sources positively, while farm experience do not determine access of loan from formal sources. The following recommendations were made: farmers in the area should be encouraged by government to enhance their educational level, more farmland should also be made available to increase their farm size and cooperative society’s membership should be encouraged by government.

Rapid rate of urbanization as a result of provision of improved infrastructural facilities in the cities has resulted in massive rural-urban migration of young people to cities in Nigeria and in other parts of the World. This has led to over-population and food insecurity among the urban people. Feeding over-populated towns has been a considerable challenge to governments of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Several strategies had been employed by the past Nigerian governments. The practice of urban mixed-cropping, whereby the urbanites grow two or more crops simultaneously in small plots or using available materials like worn-out tyres, plastic pots, sacks and wheelbarrow among other things, has helped to improve urban household food security, enhance household income and provide job opportunities, among others. Urban mixed-crop farmers are facing many constraints like agricultural land scarcity, conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses and difficulty in acquisition of micro-credit from banks which hinder their effectiveness. It was recommended that land reforms by governments should put into effect increased access by landless urban mixed-crop farmers to available unused government land to cultivate. Also, banks and extension agencies should extend micro-credit and extension services to urban mixed- crop farmers in Nigeria and in other countries in the world.

RE: WITHDRAWAL OF PUBLISHED ARTICLE ENTITLE: “PERCEPTION AND PERFORMANCE OF POULTRY FARMER COMMODITY INTEREST GROUPS (CIGS) ON THE COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (CADP) IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA.” PUBLISHED IN GLOBAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES VOL. 17, P. 85-89 (2018). I attach herewith letter from the authors of the above article requesting that their article be withdrawn because of argument on position. The study was conducted to assess the perception and performance of poultry farmer commodity interest groups on the Commercial Agricultural Development Project (CADP) in Enugu State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to identify the factors that affected the perception of poultry farmer farmer commodity interest groups (CIGs) on the CADP in the state and compare the performance of poultry farmer CIGs in terms of gross margin and after CADP. Multistage random sampling technique was employed in the selection of 150 poultry CIGS.The result of the Probit analysis showed that the coefficients for age, level of education, income of the farmers and access to information by farmers were all positive correlated, while that for political connection in the state was negatively correlated to the perception of the poultry farmers CIGs on CADP. The total variable cost (TVC) of CIGs with financial grant increased from ₦ 3,493,110 to ₦ 5,570,300. With financial grant, total revenue more than doubled; without financial grant it was ₦ 10,788,448, and with financial grant, ₦ 22,785,219. The Gross Margin also had a significant increase from ₦ 7,295,338 without financial grant, to ₦ 17,214,919 With financial grant. The following recommendations were proffered: CADP should increase matching-grant on input, especially on feed which constitute the major cost, CADP’s grants should be awarded to qualified farmers within the shortest possible time and CIG groups interested in participation in the project should be given relevant training. Keywords: Poultry Farmers, Commercial Agriculture, Interest Groups, Financial Grant, Gross Margin