AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND EXTENSION SERVICE

This study investigated the effect of wetland conditions on cassava production in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The objectives were to examine the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmers, compare the costs and returns between wetland and arable land farmers, assess technical efficiency, evaluate yield differences, and identify coping strategies used to manage environmental challenges. Primary data were collected from 96 cassava farmers selected through a multistage sampling procedure across four wetland and four arable land communities. A structured questionnaire was administered, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis, stochastic frontier production function, and t-tests to compare profitability, yield, and efficiency across both farming environments. The results showed that cassava production was profitable in both environments but significantly more profitable in arable land areas. Arable land farmers earned higher average
profit (₦490,438.60) than wetland farmers (₦150,583.63), and also recorded higher mean yields (2,279 kg compared to 1,413.4 kg). Technical efficiency was similar for both groups, with mean scores of 0.629 (wetland) and 0.632 (arable land). The study further revealed that wetland farmers face challenges such as flooding, high weed pressure, and higher production costs, prompting coping strategies like off-farm income, livestock rearing, and cooperative membership.

The catfish industry in Nigeria faces significant challenges including high production cost, low productivity, and limited profitability. Despite its potential, the industry has not fully explored the use of concrete pond for catfish production which could improve efficiency and reduce costs. This study investigated the socio-economic characteristics, profitability, and technical and allocative efficiency of concrete pond catfish production in the Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, and identified key constraints faced by farmers. Data were collected from 113 concrete pond catfish farmers and analyzed using descriptive statistics, net profit analysis, and the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) model. Socio-economic analysis revealed the enterprise is dominated by economically active males (62.83%) with a mean age of 44 years. A significant majority of farmers (69.91%) possess tertiary education, and 74.34% engage in full-time catfish farming. The cost and return analysis confirmed that concrete pond catfish production is highly profitable, yielding an average net profit of ₦599,386.39 and a strong Return on Investment (ROI) of 2.49 per production cycle, demonstrating high financial viability. The technical and allocative efficiency analysis showed that 95.28% of farmers operated at >90% efficiency, with a mean technical efficiency of 94.46%. However, the overall Returns to Scale (RTS) was -7.4534, indicating that the enterprise operates in an economically irrational region (Stage III) of production due to significant resource overuse. Technical efficiency was positively and significantly influenced by stock density and quantity of fingerlings, but negatively by fuel usage. Allocative efficiency was positively affected by the cost of fuel, feed, and fingerlings, but negatively by labor costs and depreciated fixed costs. Inefficiency models showed that increased age and pond size decreased allocative inefficiency, while increased experience, household size, and income increased technical and/or allocative inefficiency. The major constraint identified was the high cost of feed (Mean = 3.98), followed by disease outbreaks and theft. The study concludes that while concrete pond catfish production is highly profitable, there is an urgent need to address resource overuse to move production into the rational efficiency stage. Recommendations include promoting optimal stocking density, investing in high-quality fingerlings, and providing targeted training to enhance feed and labor management, ultimately ensuring the long-term sustainability and profitability of the sector.

The study examined the contribution of small-scale poultry farming to poverty reduction in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. 120 small-scale poultry farmers were selected using a two-stage sampling technique. Primary data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistic, the Foster Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) poverty model and probit regression model. The socio-economic analysis revealed that more than half of the farmers (55.83%) were
male while about 44.17% were females. The mean age of the farmers was 48 years, while the majority were married and had secondary education. The average farming experience was 9 years. Majority (70%) of the farmers were married. The mean monthly income was ₦111,763.00. Results of the FGT poverty analysis showed a poverty depth index of 0.1305 and a poverty severity index of 0.0413. The result obtained from the probit regression showed that household size had a positive and significant influence on poverty status at a 1% level. Major constraints identified included high feed cost, inadequate capital, disease outbreaks,
poor electricity supply, and limited market access. The study concludes that small-scale poultry farming contributes significantly to poverty. It is recommended that government and stakeholders enhance farmers’ access to affordable feeds, credit facilities, veterinary services, and reliable market outlets to strengthen the sector’s poverty-reducing potential