Welfare and productivity impact of adoption of biofortified cassava by smallholder farmers in Nigeria

Abstract

In the bid to improve the productivity, welfare and vitamin-A intake of SSA farmers, Biofortified cassava was bred. This study examined the welfare and productivity impact of adoption of biofortified cassava using a cross-sectional data from smallholder farmers in Nigeria. We used instrumental variable regression to control for endogeneity. The results obtained from the study showed that adoption of biofortified cassava increased farm yield, farmers’ income and welfare outcomes of adopters of biofortified cassava. In addition, the distributional impact of the adoption of the biofortified cassava showed heterogeneity effect based on gender and farm size. Overall, the study suggests that since the largest proportion of the cassava farmers in Nigeria are mostly smallholder farmers, distribution and circulation of biofortified cassava stem cuttings should be targeted towards the smallholder farmers so as to improve their productivity, income and welfare and subsequently reduce their poverty status and ensure food security.