Effect of rural-urban migrants’ remittances on arable crop production in Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted in Delta State, Nigeria, to investigate the effect of rural-urban remittances on arable crop production. Twenty percent (20%) of the registered arable crop farmers in Delta State were selected to arrive at 131 respondents for the study. Questionnaire and structured interview schedule were used to collect data from the respondents. Descriptive and inferential statistics and contingency tables were used to treat the collected data. It was discovered that most (69.5%) of rural-urban migrants were in the 11-30 age bracket. The remittances from rural farm households were far higher than the remittances from rural-urban migrants. The little remittances from the rural-urban migrants were added to the funds of the rural farm household, farm labour and inputs. The remittances from rural-urban migrants did not make any meaningful contribution to arable crop production. It was recommended that governments should make the rural areas attractive to young school learners/graduates, embark on enlightenment programme to expose the youths to agriculture related self-employment opportunities in the rural areas; and create enabling environment for the youths to operate as self-employed individuals in the rural areas.nema