Acceptance of European Union (EU) approved pesticides for cocoa production in Nigeria

Abstract

In this study, we examined the determinants of acceptance of EU approved pesticides in Nigeria where several conditional logit models of cocoa farmers utility function were estimated using a choice experiment data conducted in Nigeria. We also used the conditional logit model to examine the influence of socioeconomic and economic benefits information variables on acceptance of EU approved pesticides among the cocoa farmers. Results showed that the cocoa farmers valued the EU approved pesticides more than the banned pesticides. The result of the effect of socioeconomic variables on acceptance of EU approved pesticides showed that gender, household income, farm size and access to credit significantly influence the acceptance of EU approved pesticides among the cocoa farmers in Nigeria. Consequently, results showed that providing the cocoa farmers with economic benefits information of using EU approved pesticides could translate to increase in acceptance of EU approved pesticides among the cocoa farmers. Both information variables—economic benefits information received prior to the experiment and economic benefits information received during the experiment—have positive and sizable effects on cocoa farmers’ acceptance of EU approved pesticides. These results suggest that EU approved pesticides dissemination campaigns should always incorporate economic benefits information of using the EU approved pesticides including higher returns to farmers from the sales of their cocoa beans. Empowering the cocoa farmers through the provision of credit facilities and trainings together with adequate dissemination of economic benefits information of using EU approved pesticides will likely result in acceptance of EU approved pesticides in Nigeria.