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DETERMINANTS OF UTILIZATION AND OPTIMUM USE OF FARMER FIELD BUSINESS SCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS AMONG MAIZE FARMERS IN NORTH WEST NIGERIA
Views:0This study examined the predictors of utilization and intensity of use of Farmer Field Business School (FFBS) recommendations among maize farmers in North West Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to 231 FFBS participants in Kaduna and Kano States. Data were analysed using weighted mean scores, a Utilization Index, Probit regression for the binary utilization decision, and Tobit regression for intensity of use. Results showed that 95.7% of participants utilized FFBS recommendations, yielding a mean Utilization Index of 0.7415. Intensity of use varied widely across practice areas: planting and fertilizer application recorded the highest intensity (WM = 2.49 each), while use of Aflasafe and field measurement returned low scores (WM = 1.39 and 1.58). The Probit model identified sex (p < 0.10), age (p < 0.10), household size (p < 0.05), and land acquisition mode (p < 0.01) as significant determinants of the utilization decision. The Tobit model showed that marital status (p < 0.05), household size (p < 0.10), frequency of extension visits (p < 0.01), and the Perception Index of FFBS (p < 0.01) significantly influenced optimum use. These findings underscore the importance of targeted extension engagement and positive programme perception in deepening practice uptake among smallholder farmers.
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FACTORS INFLUENCING FEMALE YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOOD GENERATING ACTIVITIES FOR SELF-CARE IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, ABUJA, NIGERIA
Views:390This study examines female youth participation in agricultural livelihood generating activities for self-care in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. The objectives were to: examine the extent of female youth participation in agricultural livelihood generating activities and the income generated, determine the levels of female youth self-care responsibilities and perceived contribution of participation in agricultural livelihood activities on their wellbeing, determine factors influencing female youth participation in agricultural livelihood activities in the study area. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 133 female youths from 13 registered youth associations. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data while descriptive statistics and Logit regression model were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 30.1% of the respondents were engaged in crop production and generated an average income of ₦420,093.02 while only 3.0% were engaged in crop produce processing and generated ₦29,250.74. Also, almost half (47.4) of them spent money to take care of themselves of between 3-4 self-care responsibilities and about 41.5 spent an average of 130,078.95 on food per day. It also showed The logit regression results indicated that factors influencing female youth participation in agricultural livelihood generating activities include age, educational status, household size, income, occupation, and distance. While the study indicates that a significant portion of female youths is engaged in crop and poultry production, their overall participation in agricultural activities is limited. The study provides critical insights into the potential of agriculture as a viable solution to youth unemployment and is an instrument of female vulnerability reduction in Nigeria. The study recommends implementing policies to improve land access for female youths, including land reform initiatives that prioritize youth ownership and leasing options. Additionally, it suggests exploring strategies to reduce production costs through input subsidies, partnerships with agricultural suppliers, and community-based resource-sharing initiatives.
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WHAT DRIVES FEMALE FARMERS’ PARTICIPATION IN OFF-FARM ACTIVITIES? THE CASE OF RURAL NIGERIA
Views:334Women often lack access to productive resources such as land and capital in most developing countries. This forces them to take part in off-farm activities to augment their little farm income. This study investigated factors that affect the involvement of women farmers in different types of off-farm entrepreneurial livelihood activities in rural Bauchi state, Nigeria. A purposive sampling method was used in selecting three local government areas in the western agricultural zone of the state and a random sampling method was used in selecting ten wards. 5% registered women farmers in each selected ward, making 134 respondents. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to women farmers in 2017. The results revealed that food processing, farm product sales, trading and tailoring are the major off-farm livelihood activities engaged in by rural female farmers. Logit regression results revealed, as expected, that different factors affect their involvement in various types of off-farm activities. Food processing and tailoring required relatively high start-up capital and access to electricity as an investment and the use of machines was needed. Thus, access to credit or remittances and to electricity increases the probability of being involved in these activities. The requirements of trading being lower and access to market increases the probability of being involved. Provision of extension services, rural credit facilitation programmes, rural electrification, road and market structure development are instruments that are appropriate to support women farmers' involvement in off-farm activities.
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DISTRESS SALES AS LIVELIHOOD STRATEGY: COMMERCIALIZATION AND THE PERSISTENCE OF POVERTY AMONG WIDOWED FARMERS IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED NIGERIA
Views:0Widowhood is a catastrophic event for women farmers at any stage of their lives, with serious implications for their well-being. We examines the effect of household commercialization on poverty of widowed cowpea farmers in North-east Nigeria. Multistage dsampling procedure was employed which arrived at 525 respondents. The Data were collected using structured questionnaire and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistic (muliple regression). The result revealed that Household commercialization index (HCI) was 55.44% and 54.19% of the IDPs and host communities respectively. The average progress out of poverty index (PPI) score was lower for IDP farmers (33.55) compared to host community farmers (42.96) with homogeneity in both. Explanatory variables influencing PPI explained 35.30% of its variation, Legume farming experience and value harvest were found to be improving PPI, Household size and IDP status were reducing the PPI. The HCI was explaining 4.7% of Poverty of widowed cowpea farmers, and the HCI had inverse relationship with poverty. All in all, widowed cowpea farmers’ household commercialization increases poverty by 0.126, with heterogeneity among households with higher legume farming experience, lower household sizes, IDPs host communities and higher value of cowpea which experienced less poverty in the study area. Strengthening cooperative development, promoting value addition of cowpea products, expanding access to financial services and targeted support for widowed farmers is hence recommended.
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