Farm Productivity among Small Scale Vegetable Farmers in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VI, Issue VII, July 2021|ISSN 2454-6194

Farm Productivity among Small Scale Vegetable Farmers in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

K. O. Adelalu², Isaac. O. Oyewo, (PhD)¹*, M. D, Oyedele³, E.O. Oladipupo-Alade^4
1Federal College of Forestry, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) P.M.B. 5087 Jericho, Ibadan Oyo State Nigeria
²Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, P.M.B 4000 Ogbomoso
³,⁴Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), P.M.B. 5054 Jericho, Ibadan Nigeria

Abstract
The study examined small scale vegetable farmer’s farm productivity in Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria, using cross sectional data, well structured questionnaire was use to collect primary data from sixty vegetable farmers and analysed with use of descriptive, frequency, mean and inferential statistics. The result of the study showed that 55% of the vegetable farmers were male and between the working ages of 41- 50 years with mean age of 43.13 years, 75% were married with mean family size of 7 persons, and 63.6% of the farmers had one form of formal education, 75% of them source their credit through personal savings, 41.8% had between 11-20 years of farming experience with mean years of 16.87 years of experience, 54.8% had income of N 5000- N 22,000, 68.4% source their farm land through renting, 36.7% had farm size between 1.0-4. 9 hectares, 88.5% adopt inorganic fertilizer for vegetable production and almost all (93.6%) depends on rain fed vegetable farming. The inferential statistics revealed that farming experience (β=0.573, p<0.01) and extension agent contact (β=9.353, p<0.05) showed positive relationship with vegetable output. Inadequate credit facility, access to viable seed, and pest and disease were the major constraint to vegetable farming in the study.

Keywords: Productivity, Small Scale, Vegetable farmers, Lagelu, Oyo State, Nigeria

I. INTRODUCTION

In African countries especially in Nigeria vegetables crops are produced in different agro ecological zones through commercial as well as small scale farmers both as a source of income as well as source of food among the rural farmers (Kumilachew, 2014), the production of vegetables varies from cultivating plant into the back yards of home consumption up to large scale for domestic and export market (Dawit et al., 2004). Recently despite the ups and downs observed, the demand for vegetables especially for export is increasing (Tsegay, 2010). In fact vegetables can generate high income for farmers because of high market value and profitability they also have high nutritive value compared to cereals (Earo, 2000). Vegetables are important features of Nigerian’s diet that a traditional meal without it is assumed to be incomplete. Vegetable is an integral component of our daily food; it forms important condiment in the national diet (Ibekwe and Adesope, 2011). Naturally vegetable contains the essential nutrients needed for proper body development for instance it is a source of both micro and macro nutrients providing between 20 and 50 percent of iron vitamins and minerals needed in diets as well as roughage which promote digestion

Read More