Socio-economic analysis of cassava-based cropping system in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Abstract

An analysis of the Socio-economic factors influencing the value of the outputs of the cassava mixture farming in Rivers State was carried out. Thirty – six farmers were randomly selected from each stratum of the five major cassava crop mixtures, making a total sample size of180 farmers studied. The cassava crop mixtures studied are cassava/maize, cassava/melon, cassava/yam, cassava/maize/melon and cassava/maize/yam. The collected data were analyzed using multiple regression models. Results of Tvalues showed that farming experience (3.739), education level of farmers (7.2.3), household size (7.459) and extension workers’ visits (1.661) were socio-economic variables which positively and significantly influenced the output of cassava growing farmers. Farming age (-0.433) was inversely related to output. Improvement in the extension services, more capacity building of the farmers, credit incentives and skill acquisition would go a long way to increasing the level of cassava farming output in the area.

Key words: Cassava, cropping system, socio-economic analysis