Approaches for Improving Cocoyam Production and Utilization Among Rural Farmers in Ogun and Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was informed by the need to establish the approaches for sustainable production of cocoyam which due to production, utilization and preservation challenges has witnessed decreasing producers’ patronage; however it commands important economic and health values for rural farmers. The study identified the farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, various uses of cocoyam, factors affecting the effective production of cocoyam and approaches for improving cocoyam production. Multistage, purposive and random sampling methods were used to select 350 respondents. Data were collected by means of structured interview schedule, and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means bar charts, Chi-square and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation. Results showed that majority (66.0%) of the respondents were female, 72.8% were between the age of 31 – 55 years with mean age of 48 years, above half (52.8%) of them had one form of formal education or another, 48.3% were married and 100.0% had farming experienced about cocoyam production. Cocoyam was majorly inter-planted with cassava 89.1%, maize (81.7%), vegetable (61.1%) and least pepper (25.7%). Major constraining factors as indicated by the respondents included high cost of hired labour, lack of fund, incidence of pest and disease, low soil fertility, lack of extension service and unavailability of organic fertilizer. Major approaches for improving cocoyam production were the provision of adequate credit facilities, formation of cooperative societies, availability and regular visit by extension agents and use of resistant varieties. Chi-square result shows that there is significant relationship (p < 0.05) between marital status (χ² = 8.499), level of education (χ² = 7.020) sex (χ² = 6.835), religion (χ² = 8.115) ethnicity (χ² = 4.885) and the factors affecting cocoyam production and its potential. The study concluded that rural farmers inter-planted cocoyam with other crops as cover against crop failure, scarcity of specific crop, and due to food security at all time. It is therefore recommended that there is an urgent need for cocoyam production to be taken as one of the essential crops to focus on in the process of nation’s food security attainment.

Keywords: Cocoyam, Approaches, Production, Utilization, rural farmers, Ogun State.

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-24-03

Publication date: December 31^st 2019