Analysis of land system and productivity of cassava based crop mixture farms in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

AJOL Abstract: This study, analyzed land value systems and productivity of cassava based crop mixture farms in Imo state, Nigeria. The factors affecting productivity of crops such as cassava in its mixture with other crops in the study had not received adequate research attention in the study area. The objective of this study specifically examined the socio-economic characteristics of cassava based crop mixture farmers, estimate the partial productivity as well as the total factor productivity of the different land value system. Selection of respondents was based on purposive and random sample techniques. One hundred and eighty cassava based crop mixture famers across the three zones of Imo state were selected. A set of structured questionnaire was used to collect information from the farmers. Data collected were analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics. Result of this findings shows that cassava based crop mixture farmers in Imo state were mainly married female with a maximum of secondary school education. Result also revealed that 86.1% farmers practiced mixed cropping because of diverse crop output. Most farmers in the study area cultivated cassava on suitable land, followed by marginal suitable and non-suitable farmland at 51.7%, 28.9% and 19.4% in that order. Total productivity of suitable, marginal and non-suitable had coefficient determinants of 0.682, 0.559, 0.582 and their F-ratios were significant at 1% level respectively. It is recommended that for optimal high productivity of cassava based crop mixtures, farmers should cultivate on suitable and marginal regardless of the rent paid