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Apr 30, 2023Keywords:
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Determinants and Welfare Status of Farmers’ Participation in Plantain Value Addition in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Abstract
The study analyzed the determinants and welfare status of farmers’ participation in plantain value addition in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study identified various forms of value addition on plantain by households involved in plantain value addition; estimated the level of participation in plantain value addition and its determinants and determined the welfare status of plantain value addition operators in the study area. The population of the study comprised all plantain value-addition household heads in Akwa Ibom State. However, a multistage sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents for the study. The study selected three agricultural zones in Akwa Ibom State, two clans from each zone, and twenty household heads for the study. Primary data were obtained from the selected samples using a structured questionnaire, which was administered to 120 respondents. Data were analysed with means, frequencies, percentages, MPCHE and ordered probit model. The results of the analysis showed that Plantain chips are the most prevalent form of value addition, constituting 72.5% of total value added, followed by plantain flour, roasted plantain, and porridge plantain, with market shares at 58.3%, 43.3%, and 27.5% respectively. Nearly half of the respondents (47.50%) engage in adding value to one plantain product or another, possibly due to resource constraints. Factors such as age (P<0.01), education (P<0.01), income (P<0.01), marketable surplus (P<0.01) and cooperative membership (P<0.01) significantly influence participation in value addition. On average, food expenditure constitutes 42.0% of per-capita monthly expenditure, indicating a relatively higher standard of living, likely influenced by involvement in plantain value addition. Given the prevalence of plantain chips as the most common form of value addition, there should be targeted policies and programs aimed at promoting and supporting the production of plantain chips. This could involve training programs, access to financing, and infrastructure development to enhance processing capacity.
