An Analysis Of Federal Government’s In Increasing Cassava Production In Nigeria

The purpose of this study was to find out the analysis of Federal Government effort towards cassava production. In pursuance of this study, research objectives and research questions were formulated. Both primary and secondary data were collected and the data were them presented, analyzed, interpreted using texual, 

graphic and tabular modes of data presentation. The population used in this study consist of 420 farmers in Nkanu East. Though 382 questionnaire were returned of the 420, the survey research method in federal government. However, cassava is the most widely cultivate crop in the Southern parts of the country, cassava production was reported to be increasing among villages where the cassava, Yam, rice, beans, or peas were the most important crops, it is also grown by almost every household,  Nigeria is currently the largest producer of cassava in the world with an annual production of over 34 million tones of tuberous roots. Cassava has also increased in importance in the middle belt in recent years. In all over fourth fifths of the cultivatable land area is suitable for cassava growing. Furthermore, the federal government should be more sincere in the policy making which is standing tool for progress of the project

 

Title page   i  

Approval Page   ii

Dedication   iii

Acknowledgment   = = iv

Abstract   = v

Table of content  = = vi

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0  Introduction  = = 1

1.1 Background of the study  1

1.2 Statement of the problem  = = 3

1.3 Objectives of the study  4

1.4 Research questions   5

1.5 Research hypothesis  5

1.6 Significance of the study  6

1.7 Scope and Limitation of the study = 7

1.8 Definition of terms  = 8

Reference

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Review literature  = 11

2.1 Trends in cassava production in Nigeria  

2.2 Resource base on the cassava production  

2.3 Spread and economic importance of cassava production 

2.4 Constraints in cassava production  = 

Reference 

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Research Methodology   31

3.1 Research Design  = 31

3.2 The area of the study  31

3.3 Research population  = 32

3.4 Research Sample  = 33

3.5 Sources of data  = = 34

3.6 Method of data analysis  34

3.7Method of testing hypothesis = = 34

3.8 population and determination of sample size.= = 35

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Data presentation, analysis and interpretation= = 36

4.1 Data analysis  = = 36

4.2 Test of Hypothesis   = 48

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Summary of findings, recommendation and conclusion

5.1 Findings   52

5.2 Recommendation  = 59

5.3 Conclusion  = = 60

Reference

Questionnaire

Appendix

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 

Cassava is one of the most important crops in Nigeria. It is the most widely cultivated crop in the Southern part of the country in terms of area devoted to it and number of farmers growing it. Indeed, it is grown by almost every household, cassava has also increased in important in the middle belt in recent years, in all 

places, cassava has become very popular as a good and cash crop and is fast replacing yam and other traditional staples of the area. In all over fourth fifth of the cultivable land area is suitable for cassava growing. 

Cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) was introduced into central African from South America in the Sixteeth century by the early Portuguese explorers (Jones 1959), it was probably the emancipated slaves who introduced the cassava crop into  Southern Nigeria as they returned to the country from South America with the Islands of Sou-Tonne and Fernando Po A. E. that time there were Portuguese colonies of Nigeria shores (Ekandem) cassava, however, did not become important in the country until the end of the nineteenth century when processing techniques were introduced, as many more slaves returned home. Cassava is important not only as a food but even more so as a major source of income for rural households, Nigeria is currently the largest producer of cassava in the world with an annual production of over 34 million tones of tuberous roots. Cassava is largely consumed in many processed forms in Nigeria, its uses in the industry and liverstock feed, it well known but is gradually increasing, especially as important substitution becomes  prominent in the industrial sector of the economy. 

As a cash crop, cassava generates each income for the largest number of households of comparison with other staples. It is produced with relevant purchased inputs as frequently as and in some cases more of total production, probably larger than of most staples, is planted annually for sale. 

As a food, cassava has some inherent characteristic which make it attractive, especially to the cassava processing industries in Nigeria. First, it is rich in carbohydrate especially starch and consequently has a multiplicity of end uses. 

Secondly, it is available all year round, making it preferable to other more seasonable crops such as grains, pees and beans and other crops for food security. Compared to grains, cassava is more tolerant of low soil fertility and more resistance to drought, pest and disease furthermore, its roots are storable in they ground for months after the mature. These attributes combined with other socio-economic consideration are therefore what the federal government (IF AD) has recognized in the crop as lending itself to a commodity based approach to poverty alleviation (FAD/IC, 1995). The socio economic importance of cassava and the accidental introduction of cassava mealybug which ravaged most cassava fields in the major producing areas led to the federal governments direct intervention in a way of rendering effort to the subsector, in the implementation to the IF AD assisted cassava multiplication project (CMP) between 1987 and 1996. In the early 1980s Udemili South of Anambra State Nkanu East drusticaly the combined effects of pests disease (Mosaic virus, cassava bacteria bright) Cassava Production Fell (Mealybug and Green Spider Mite), thereby posing a threat to national food security. In response, IFAD initiated the CMP as a parallel financed part of the World Bank - assisted MSADP -L. The overall objective of the CMP was to multiple, promotes and distribute improve varieties to cassava processing industries so as to improve productivity and income.

Government intervention and  efforts towards These include government programme such as the National Accelerated Food Production Programme (NAFPPO), and Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), the Agricultural Development Projects (ADP), the evelopment of the National Agricultural Research Systems and their close collaboration with the International institute of tropical Agriculture (lITA) and other International Agricultural research centres and large scale planting material multiplication and distribution faciJitated by the IFAD  assisted Cassava Multiplication Programme (CMP) and activities of oil companies and church organizations through these efforts, appreciable program has been made in genetic improvement, agronomic practices, root storage and in the development of processing technology and rural infrastructure concerted efforts have also been made to introduce improved practices to farmers. Thus, improved varieties now occupy approximately 0.75 percent of cassava land area and several labour intensive operation in processing notably grating, dewatering and milling, have mechanized. This has had a great effect on cassava land area expansion and production growth. Despite the rapid growth in cassava production, the cassava subsector in Nigeria is soil constrained by a number of factors, namely pest and diseases agronomic problems, shortages of planting materials, inconsistent policy measures, poor market access, limited diversification of processing options, inefficient extension delivery ystem and inadequate access to improve processing technology. Consequently, 

uture intervention strategies should include the. following; 

- Development, rapid multiplication and dissemination of improve varies to enhance the availability and diversity of improved planting materials. 

- Development and extension of improved agronomic practice for cassava production. 

- Deliberate efforts to supports the development of cassava processing prototypes and identification of appl ication and useful technologies and incentive for local entrepreneurs to fabricate them. This will sara labor and improve the efficiency of processing, raise the quality and enhance marketability of products. The design of such machines should be gender, sensitive, bearing in mind the cardinal role of women in processing. 

- Strengthening of Extension: Farmers linkage with research to facilitate the ongoing spread of cultivars, management practice and processing techniques. This should lead to the obilization of farmers through emphasis on a participatory development approach, family or group based extension and seed multiplication activities involving due recognition of the role of women in production, processing and marketing and ssistance that would enable all farmers to take advantages of evelopment programmes as far as possible, adequate and sustained research funding which must be timely released. 

- Development of new cassava products and packaging techniques for existing and new products. 

- Promotion of industrial uses of cassava and diversification of processing options to encourage increased cassava production and enhanced rural household incomes. 

- Establishment of a sound macro economic policy that would promote sustained cassava development. 

- Investment in rural infrastructure (especially feeder roads and water supply) to promote cassava production, processing and marketing and 

- Greater involvement of the private sector and non-governmental organization in the use of researcher and technology in cassava production, processing and marketing in the development of infrastructural facilities.