Analysis of Seedling Subsidy Policy and Cocoa Production in South-West Nigeria

The cocoa economy of Ivory Coast started in the eastern part of the country in the 1970s and spread to the central-western and then south-western regions. For nearly a decade, it has been in the West of Ivory Coast with a population increase caused by large waves of migration. This study aims to determine different factors explaining dynamics of the cocoa economy from the East to West of Ivory Coast. The method adopted consisted of processing Landsat images from 1985–2018 and an individual survey of 278 heads of households. The results obtained showed that the development of the cocoa economy led forest cover degradation with a total loss estimated at 60.80%, 46.39%, 20.76% and 51.18% of forest area in the East, Centre-West, South-West and West, respectively. The creation of new cocoa farms in the West of Ivory Coast is governed by non-native people (51.13%) settled between 2010 and 2018. About 41% of these producers come mainly from the Centre-West (25%) and the South-West (16%). In addition, 29% of producers come from the West of Ivory Coast. Despite the abiotic characteristics being considered unfavourable, the west of Ivory Coast is in the process of becoming the country’s new zone of high cocoa production.

Download Full-text

Adoption Levels of Cocoa Rehabilitation Programmes in South West Nigeria

Pelita Perkebunan (a Coffee and Cocoa Research Journal) ◽

10.22302/iccri.jur.pelitaperkebunan.v36i2.396 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 180-189

Author(s):

Oluwole Matthew Akinnagbe

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Development ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Sampling Procedure ◽

Interview Schedule ◽

Governmental Agencies ◽

South West ◽

Cocoa Production ◽

Multistage Sampling ◽

Cocoa Farmers ◽

Cocoa Seedlings

Cocoa is an important crop to the economies of countries such as Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon in West Africa. This study ascertained the adoption levels of farmers in cocoa rehabilitation programmes in South West, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected from 240 cocoa farmers through the use of interview schedule and focus group discussion. Multistage sampling procedure was used in selecting respondents. Data were analysed using percentage and mean statistics. Results revealed that, adoption index was high in planting young cocoa seedlings under old cocoa trees for the three groups of farmers - farmers that benefitted from government agency cocoa resuscitation programme (98.0%), farmers that benefitted from non-governmental agency cocoa resuscitation programme (94.0%) and farmers that benefitted from both governmental and non-governmental agencies cocoa resuscitation programmes (95.0%). Low adoption index (38.0%, 32.0% and 33.0%) were recorded in coppicing technique for the three groups of farmers, respectively. The most helpful agency in the adoption of cocoa resuscitation programmes was Agricultural Development Programme (M=2.80). To improve the level of adoption of cocoa resuscitation programmes, Federal Government of Nigeria through Ministry of Agriculture should provide more incentives geared towards encouraging increased participation of the organized private sector in cocoa production.

Download Full-text

Produce certification and income risk management strategies of cocoa farming households in South-West Nigeria

Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce ◽

10.19041/apstract/2015/3/10 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 75-79

Author(s):

A. B. Oreyemi ◽

R. A. Sanusi ◽

L. O. Okojie ◽

A. O. Olaiya ◽

D. Akerele

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Farm Income ◽

Income Risk ◽

Chi Square ◽

South West ◽

Risk Management Strategies ◽

Cocoa Production ◽

Chi Square Analysis ◽

Farming Households

Agricultural produce certification is synonymous to farm assurance of which cocoa certification is an example; dealing with issues of Good Agricultural, Environmental and Social Practices (GAP, GEP and GSP) in cocoa production. Essentially, GAP, GEP and GSP packages had in-built mechanism that can aid farmers mitigate factors that could lead to farm income risks in cocoa production. Consequently, this study examined the influence of cocoa certification on income risks of cocoa farming households in South-west Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 180 cocoa farming households from whose heads data were obtained with interview schedule in Southwest Nigeria. Data were analyzed with Chi-square Statistic, Income Risk Management Diversification Index (IRD) and Mann-Whitney-U Test Statistic. Chi-square analysis shows that (52.3%) certified cocoa farming households employed more risk management strategies than (94.2%) uncertified cocoa farming households (p<0.01). The Mann-Whitney-U test revealed a significant difference (p>0.05) between the income risk management practices of certified and uncertified cocoa farming households. Therefore, produce certification has been helping cocoa farming households in mitigating farm income risk in cocoa production through the employment of diverse (risk) management strategies. Hence, stakeholders should intensify efforts in encouraging farming households to embrace (cocoa) produce certification.

Download Full-text