Post-Harvest Activities And Marketing Of Cassava In Obudu Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The performance of post-harvest activities on agricultural produce by farmers could reduce their forceful disposal of produce to consumers at cheap prices at the farm gate level as a result of absence of organized markets for the sale of agricultural produce at the moment. This study determined the relationship between post-harvest activities and marketing of cassava in Obudu local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria. In specific terms, the study determined the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents and relationship between transportation, processing, storage and marketing of cassava in the study area. Four research questions were answered and the correlational research design was used. The sample size for the study was126 comprising 112 registered cassava farmers and 14 processors. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to collect the data. A 25-item structured questionnaire was used in collecting the quantitative data, while focused group discussions (FGD) was used for generating qualitative data. Face validity of the instrument was done by three experts and Cronbach Alpha reliability index of 0.76 was obtained. Data collected was analyzed using percentages to answer research question one and Pearson Product Moment Correlation analysis to answer research questions 2-4. The study found out that a moderate relationship exists between transportation, processing and marketing of cassava while a weak relationship existed between storage and marketing of cassava. It was concluded that a positive relationship exists between post-harvest activities and marketing of agricultural produce and recommended among others things thathe extension outreach programme of the Ministry of Agriculture should encouraged farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural production value chain to adopt appropriate post-harvest activities in the handling of agricultural produce generally and cassava in particular