Factors determining adoption of bean quality improvement practices by cocoa farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Persistent drop in quality of Nigerian cocoa exported to the international communities portends a grave danger to the economy of the country. This study investigates factors determining adoption of bean quality improvement practices by cocoa farmers in Cross River State, Nigeria. Using a two-stage random sampling technique to select 336 farmers from communities with high production, data were collected with a structured questionnaire and subjected to factor analysis and descriptive statistical procedures. The data revealed that majority of the respondents (66.1%) were male with mean age of 48 years, 78.6% were formally educated whereas 31.0% had a quarterly contact with extension agents. Most of the respondents (98.2%) had high perception on practices considered as being adequate for improving the quality of cocoa beans. There was a positive and significant relationship between perception on cocoa bean quality and adoption of bean quality improvement practices (r = 0.142 and p = 0.001) at one percent level of significance. Factor analysis showed that socioeconomic, production, technological and institutional factors with Eigenvalues of 3.312, 2.403, 1.862 and 1.055, respectively, accounted for the quality of cocoa beans. However, educational level of farmers (0.867), cost of inputs (−0.724), relative advantage of the practice (0.683) and contact with extension agents (0.703) exert greater influence on farmers’ capacity to produce quality cocoa beans. The identified variables should therefore be considered when disseminating improved practices to cocoa farmers for increased adoption.

Compliance with cocoa quality management practices in Ghana; To what extent are cocoa farmers complying?

“…Further, the positive relationship between gender and the likelihood of compliance with disease and pest practices is reasonable because female farmers are resource constraints, which limit their capacity to purchase recommended pesticides to control diseases and pest incidences. This finding concurs with Daudu et al [ 13 ], who reported a direct relationship between compliance with QMPs and the gender of farmers. Likewise, the significant effect of postharvest training, awareness of quality management practices, receipt of premiums on quality adherence, and education on compliance with disease and pest best practices relate well with previous studies [ 46 , 47 ] that observed positive correlations between these variables and compliance with cocoa best cultural practices.…”

“…These organizations advocate for the production of quality cocoa beans and share the proposition that the adoption of sound pre- and post-harvest quality management practices at the farm level would greatly influence and determine the quality of exportable cocoa [ 12 ]. Therefore, all farmers in merchant cocoa-dependent countries, including Ghana, have been supplied with the best quality management practices to improve the quality of their cocoa for both domestic and international utilization [ 13 ]. The majority of these best practices were included in a cocoa quality adherence guideline that was released following the conclusions of the 19th World Cocoa Economy Conference held in Moscow in 2009 [ 13 , 14 ].…”

“…Therefore, all farmers in merchant cocoa-dependent countries, including Ghana, have been supplied with the best quality management practices to improve the quality of their cocoa for both domestic and international utilization [ 13 ]. The majority of these best practices were included in a cocoa quality adherence guideline that was released following the conclusions of the 19th World Cocoa Economy Conference held in Moscow in 2009 [ 13 , 14 ]. According to the manual, a good-quality cocoa beans must have a desired physical appearance and biochemical properties, which are achieved when the beans are well dried with a moisture content not exceeding 7.5%, uniform in size with a size tolerance limit of 10%, free from foreign matter, without smoky beans, and without any evidence of adulteration.…”

“…Empirically, several studies have investigated strategies to improve cocoa quality at the farm level across Africa and Ghana [ 2 , 4 , 13 , 14 , 16 ]. Some studies have emphasised the role of institutions in enhancing cocoa quality [ 2 , [17] , [18] , [19] ].…”

“…In this study, the authors developed a composite index of 20 standard management practices as a proxy for the degree of quality compliance. Similarly, Daudu et al [ 13 ] also treated the degree of compliance as an index of 21 cocoa quality best practices in a factor analysis to determine factors influencing quality adherence in Nigeria. In a related study for Cameroon, Levai et al [ 14 ] focused on the effects of factors that influence quality compliance with only post-harvest best practices.…”