This research intends to carry out a comparative study, on the yield of hybrid and open-pollinated maize, with the involvement of farmers in Giwa local government area of Kaduna state. Specifically, it evaluated existing hybrid and open-pollinated maize production technologies by unfolding their most important socio-economic factors, by notably identifying the beneficial distinction between hybrid and open-pollinated maize, with the farm survey data collected from 160 maize farming communities in October-December 2009 for the cropping year 2009-10. Descriptive Statistics; Gross-Margin Analysis were the analytical tools employed for achieving the aim of this study. The average yield per hectare obtained by hybrid maize farmers was 2240.6Kg and 1261.04Kg for open pollinated maize respectively. Hybrid maize and open pollinated maize farmers obtained gross margin US$ 389.29 and US$195.31 per hectare respectively. Z-test was used to test the profitability of hybrid maize versus open-pollinated maize and the result revealedthat hybrid maize production was more profitable and the difference was statistically significant at 1% level of significance. As most of the communities had no formal education, the extension program should be targeted to the less educated farmers. This study recommends that credit capability principally the process for obtaining loan ought to be made easy to perk up hybrid and open-pollinated maize production in the study area.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crop in Nigerian agriculture. The crop occupies a crucial place than other cereal crops since it is used as food, feed, fodder and other industrial raw material. The aim of this study was to conduct a comparative study on the productivity of hybrid and open-pollinated maize, with the participation of farmers in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna state. Precisely, it evaluated the current hybrid and open-pollinated maize production technologies by describing their major socioeconomic factors, and most importantly identifying the economic difference between hybrid and open-pollinated maize, using the farm survey data collected from 160 maize farming communities in October-December for the cropping year 2009-'10. The result of analysis of resource use efficiency of hybrid and openpollinated maize showed that all resources were inefficiently utilized because the ratios were not equal to one. The resource use efficiency of hybrid and open pollinated maize production in the study area was computed from Efficiency ratio r i.e., the ratio of MVP (Marginal Value Product) and MFC (Marginal Factor Cost). The ratio indicates that sampled farmers underutilized fertilizer and insecticides. The efficiency ratio for seeds, labour and herbicides were less than one showing that the sampled farmers over-utilized seeds, labour and herbicides on the farms. This study suggested the need to bring more area under hybrid maize cultivation. Furthermore, there is need for special training, seminars, field demonstrations and technical support for the maize farmers. As most of the communities had no formal education, the extension program should be intended to the less educated farmers. In addition, the credit facility particularly the procedure for loan should be made simple to improve hybrid and open-pollinated maize production in the study area.

This study analyses the trade-offs between welfare (measured by income) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using a farm-level optimisation model that incorporates the predominant cereal (sorghum), legumes (groundnut, soybeans), livestock (cattle, goats and sheep) and trees (locust bean, camel’s foot) representative of production systems at two contrasting sites in northern Nigeria. The optimisation model maximises the value of total farm production, subject to constraints on GHG reductions of 10%, 25% and the maximum reductions that allow households to meet minimum consumption requirements. Substantive reductions in livestock and legume production would be required to achieve the maximum possible reductions from current emissions and would reduce household income by 22% and 44%, respectively. Under current production practices, reductions in GHG emissions reduce household income, which suggests the need for further research on productivity-enhancing technologies that could both enhance income and reduce GHG emissions in these production contexts.

Aims: Aims of the study were to describe socio-economic characteristics of cocoyam farmers, determine the technical efficiency of cocoyam producers and identify socio-economic factors influencing technical efficiency of cocoyam producers in Kaduna state. Study Design: Primary data were collected from cocoyam producers through the use of structured questionnaires. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in three local government area in Kaduna state, Nigeria between August and November 2013 cropping season. Methodology: Multistage purposive and random sampling techniques were employed for data collection.

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