The constraints militating against the smallholder fanners in multiple-cropping system in Ebonyi State, Nigeria were analysed. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to sample and administer questionnaires to 240 smallholder multiple croppers. Data were collected and analysed using descriptive statistics. High lease charges (45 percent), problems of land fragmentation (35 percent), the low fertility of the land (78 percent), the distance of cultivable land (52 percent) and sex discrimination (100 percent) were constraints militating against the efficiency of land use. The constraints against efficient labour use were the high cost of labour, emigration, sex discrimination, and other competing labour uses, which constituted 23 percent, 22 percent, 19 percent and 14 percent respectively. Responses regarding constraints against capital use referred to the non-availability of improved varieties of yam and cocoyam (29 percent), the high cost of modern inputs (36 percent), the lack of adequate finance (33 percent), and the lack of collaterals (22 percent). The study confirmed that multiple-cropping system would have been more efficient if these constraints were reduced or eradicated. Effective extension services as well as efficient policy formulation and implementation by government are therefore recommended.
The study examined the impact of entrepreneurship training on rural poultry farmers' adoption of improved management practices in Enugu State, Nigeria. Data were collected from two hundreds randomly selected rural poultry farmers that were trained on entrepreneurship by use of questionnaire. Data were analyzed with both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that before the training, majority (70%) of the rural poultry farmers were unaware of some of the improved management practices like record-keeping, consulting veterinary doctors, vaccination, debeaking, etc. However, after the training, all the farmers (100%) were aware of the management practices and majority (85%) of poultry farmers adopted these practices. Educational level (t=3.3501), farming experience (t=2.9511), income level (t=2.6188) as well as farm size (t=2.8183) were found highly significant and positively related to farmers adoption of the improved poultry management practices. Constraints identified were high cost of inputs (80%), low capital outlay (95%), difficulty in obtaining loan (80%) and poor extension (75%) visits. Government should organize more entrepreneurial training and provide soft loan to farmers as to facilitate adoption of the improved management practices thereby improving poultry meat supply and ensuring food security.
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