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The study was carried out to analyse the profitability of groundnut production in Northern Part of Taraba State. The objectives of the study were to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of groundnut farmers, estimate the cost and returns associated with groundnut production and identify the constraints faced by groundnut farmers in the study area. Data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire administered to 150 randomly selected farmers in the study area. Data generated from the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics and budget techniques. Results revealed that most farmers 75% are young, mostly females (57.50%) and educated (75%). It also showed that the total revenue (TR), gross margin (GM) and net farm Income (NFI) per hectare were N100,818.00, N42,422.00, and N41,172 respectively while the Gross margin per naira invested and net farm income per naira invested were N0.73 and N0.69 respectively. The problems faced by groundnut farmers include: pest and diseases infestations, insufficient contact by extension agents, shortage of labour, low groundnut prices and inadequate credit facilities among others. The study also recommended that government should re-introduce commodity board and advised that farmers should form cooperatives groups in order to facilitate access to modern farm inputs as well as credit facilities from lending institutions to the farmers in study area.

Determinants of training workshop on natural rubber technologies were studied by selecting 51 participants invited for training workshop at Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN) main station Iyanomo. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis and Z-test statistic at 5% probability level. The result indicated that males dominated the training; all of the participants were literate and had one form of formal education or the other. Z-test analysis shows a significant relationship between pre-and post training score. Result of the multiple regression analysis showed that the postulated regressors explained about 70.40% of the variations in the regressand. The entire estimated coefficients carried the expected positive sign, which indicated that an increase in these variables would lead to increase in the knowledge of trainees on rubber innovation. Education, depth of coverage, calibre of facilitators and practical exercises/ field visits were the major determinants of training workshop and have significant effects on training at various probability levels. It is thus recommended that regular training workshop should be conducted for capacity building of end users in the rubber industry in Nigeria.

The study measured the technical efficiency and profitability of small holder natural rubber production in southern Nigeria by examining the socio-economic characteristics of respondents, the profitability of latex production and technical efficiency. Multi-stage, purposive and random sampling techniques were employed in the collection of primary data from 300 respondents. Descriptive statistics and stochastic frontier production function were used to analyse the data collected. Results indicated that respondents were educated, married (76%) with a mean family size of seven people and well experienced mean farming experience of 19 years. Latex production was a profitable venture with an average variable cost per ha of  55,700.94 with total revenue (T.R.) and gross margin (G.M.) per hectare  163,594.17 and  107,893.23, respectively. Furthermore, the stochastic frontier production function analysis showed the number of trees per task, labour, farm size and age of plantation, clone, wage and fixed cost items were significantly related to rubber latex. The mean technical efficiency (T.E.) of the respondents was 0.84. Education, extension contact and experience were the significant factors that increased the technical efficiency of the respondents. The resuscitation of extension activities of A.D.P.s in the rubber growing states of the country through adequate funding by the government to improve the efficiencies of farmers, use of improved planting materials during replanting old plantations and the formation of cooperative societies by farmers to enhance access to production credit amongst others are recommended in the study.