Project Abstract

Project Overview

<p> </p><p><b>INTRODUCTION<br></b></p><p><b>1.1 &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>Background<br>of the study</b></p><p>This<br>study is aimed at finding out the cost of economic cultivation of cassava in<br>Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State. It is one of the world’s most<br>important staple food crops and provides a major source of carbohydrate to<br>those who feeds on it.Many development oriented policies have been implemented<br>in Nigeria, especially in the agricultural sector since independence. The<br>Federal Government has made some institutional and policy reforms targeted at<br>improving the socio-economic status of the smallholder farmers. These include<br>Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF), River Basin Development<br>Authorities (RBDAs), Agricultural Development Programmes (ADP) and the Cassava<br>Multiplication Programme (CMP) and the School to Land Programme mounted by the<br>Rivers State Government. Available reports showed that many aspects of agricultural<br>production, such as cultivation, marketing, processing, etc were covered (ADP,<br>2005). The Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) is an offshoot of the CMP.<br>Nnanna (2010) contended that RTEP is a farmer oriented programme whose<br>beneficiaries are poor households and smallholder farmers but the overall<br>objective of RTEP is to enhance national food self-sufficiency, improve rural<br>households’ food security and income for poor farmers within the cassava belt<br>which include the Southern and Middle belt States of Nigeria (Onyeneke, 2008).<br>Cassava is an important source of dietary carbohydrate, and provides food for<br>over 60 million people in Nigeria (Abdulahi, 2003). Cassava’s adaptability to<br>relatively marginal soils, erratic rainfall; its high productivity per unit of<br>land and labour, the certainty of obtaining some yield even under the most<br>adverse conditions and the possibility of maintaining continuity of supply<br>throughout the year (Nweke, 1994), make this root crop a basic component of the<br>farming system in many areas of Nigeria including Rivers State. Famine rarely<br>occurs in areas where cassava is widely grown, since it provides a stable food<br>base to the food production system. Apart from its use as a staple food to<br>human beings other uses include animal feed formulation, agro-industrial uses<br>(e.g. starch, ethanol, adhesive, fructose/glucose syrup), the peels in<br>organo-mineral fertilizers formulation (Ojeniyi, 2001; Akanbi, et.al.; 2006,<br>Iyagba, 2010). Cassava has become the magic crop in Nigeria as a result of the<br>Presidential initiative on cassava some years ago with good export potential.</p><p>Agriculture<br>is the backbone of Itu farmers and cassava production is their area of<br>specialization. Cassava originated from Brazil and was introduced into tropical<br>West Africa by the Portuguese in the 16th and 17th centuries (Woyengi<br>– Ina 1969). Cassava production in Itu Local Government Area is as old as the<br>community itself. Sweet cassava (<i>ManihotUltilisima)</i>&nbsp;is a member of<br>the Euphobieace species which originated from South Africa and is cultivated in<br>all warm regions of the world (IR VINE 1969).</p><p>Cassava<br>was not known in wild state and its evolution as a species is directly linked<br>to selection by man under cultivation. A famine reserve by Colonial governments<br>such as Java and the British in West Africa and Southern India and of cassava<br>processing export industries were established in Makker (Hinton, 1988) given<br>extended maturity duration, cassava cultivation is limited to the tropics and<br>sub tropical.</p><p>In<br>Itu, this root crop is only second to yam. This importance is traced to the<br>colonial period when cassava was often famine reserve crop. Some farm holdings<br>in cassava cultivation to the present day support this view. However, cassava<br>today is a commercial crop inter planted so often with other crops. Hardwood<br>stems cuttings usually about 30mm long are planted either on moulds or<br>ridges or on the flat bed. Manuring the soil improves the yield, but little<br>attention with early weeding is beneficial. Cassava is consumed in many forms<br>such as garri, fufu, tapioca, flour, boiled or roasted for consumption and can<br>be consumed or boiled to pigs, and other herbivores. The leaves are eaten as<br>vegetable.</p><p>In<br>Itu, AkwaIbom State generally, there exist extensive trade in garri, cassava is<br>widely produced, just like cash crop with existing market in future.<br>Development of cassava production will require strengthening of the market for<br>the crop. Finance is one of the problems that farmers from Itu encounter<br>because most of the cassava farmers lack finance to purchase planting materials<br>and to hire labour to support the farming operation. Sometimes government give<br>grants, but farmers misused the fund.</p><p><b>1.2 &nbsp; &nbsp; <br></b><b>PROBLEMS STATEMENT</b></p><p>1. &nbsp; To<br>find out if there are suitable planting materials in cassava production.</p><p>2. &nbsp; To<br>determine if farmers in Itu find cassava production more lucrative.</p><ul><li>To investigate if there are available<br>resources and materials to enhance cassava cultivation in Itu.</li></ul><p><b>1.3 <br>JUSTIFICATION AND BENEFICIARIES</b></p><p>Cassava<br>is an important crop in Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State. It<br>provides over 80% of the natives of Itu constant food on their table. It is<br>therefore cultivated with pride. The justification of the study therefore is on<br>the fact that there is need to analyze scientifically if cassava production is<br>economically (profitably) viable in Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom<br>State.</p><p>The<br>beneficiaries of the study include the farmers in the village, the clan, the<br>state and the Nigeria in general. Also expected benefits from the study include<br>researchers in the field of agriculture, economics and marketing research units<br>of colleges of education and universities.</p><p><b>1.4 <br>OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY</b></p><p>The<br>main objective of the study is to analyse the problem of cassava production in<br>Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State. The sub-objective include:</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To ascertain the factors that hinders<br>cassava production in Itu LGA.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To examine the various factors which<br>influenced and limit cassava cultivation in Itu Local Government Area.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To determine the profitability of cassava<br>production in Itu Local Government Area.</p><p>· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <br>To determine the impact of cassava<br>production on the economic development of Itu LGA</p><p><b>1.5 <br>HYPOTHESIS</b></p><p><b>H0:</b>there<br>are no factors that hinders effective cassava production in Itu LGA</p><p><b>H1:</b>there<br>are factors that hinders effective cassava production in Itu LGA</p><p><b>H02:</b>cassava<br>production has no significant impact on the economic development of Itu LGA</p><p><b>H2:</b>cassava<br>production has a significant impact on the economic development of Itu LGA</p><p><b>1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY</b></p><p>It<br>is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great<br>importance to the farmers in Itu LGA and beyond, as the study seek to ascertain<br>the factors inhibiting effective production of cassava in the local government,<br>the study will also be of importance to the Local government management, as the<br>study seek to explore the benefit of effective cassava production to the<br>economy of Itu LGA and beyond, as this will facilitate effective financing of<br>the agricultural sector.</p><p>The<br>study would also be of immense importance to students, researchers and scholars<br>who are interested in developing a further study on the subject matter</p><p><b>1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY</b></p><p>The<br>scope of the study covers the economic problems of cassava production in Itu<br>LGA of AkwaIbom state. But in the cause of the study, there were some factors<br>which limited the scope of the study:</p><p><b>a) &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL:</b>&nbsp;The research<br>material &nbsp; &nbsp; available to the researcher<br>is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.</p><p><b>b) &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>TIME:</b>&nbsp;The time frame allocated to the study does<br>not enhance wider &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; coverage as the<br>researcher has to combine other academic activities &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; and examinations with the study.</p><p><b>c) &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>FINANCE</b>: The finance available for the research<br>work does not &nbsp; &nbsp; allow for wider<br>coverage as resources are very limited as the &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; researcher has other academic bills to<br>cover</p><p><b>1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS</b></p><p><b>Cassava</b></p><p>Manihotesculenta <br>is a woody shrubnative<br>to South America of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.<br>It is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions<br>for its edible starchy tuberous root, a<br>major source of carbohydrates.</p><p><b>Cassava production</b></p><p>Cassava (Manihotesculenta) production is vital<br>to the economy of Nigeria as the country is the<br>world’s largest producer of the commodity. The crop is produced in 24 of the<br>country’s 36 states.</p><p><b>Economic growth</b></p><p>Economic growth is the increase in<br>the inflation-adjusted market value of<br>the goods and services produced by an economy over<br>time. It is conventionally measured as the percent rate of increase in<br>real gross domestic product, or real GDP.</p><p><b>1.9ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY</b></p><p>This<br>research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as<br>follows. Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the<br>(background of the study), statement of the problem, objectives of the study,<br>research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of<br>the study etc. Chapter two being the review of the related literature presents<br>the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and other areas concerning the<br>subject matter. &nbsp; &nbsp; Chapter three is a<br>research methodology covers deals on the research design and methods adopted in<br>the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and<br>presentation of finding. Chapter five<br>gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.</p> <br><p></p>