Assessment of farmers production problems and their management strategies in selected states in south-eastern Nigeria. (61)

Abstract

The production difficulties experienced by farmers in south-eastern Nigeria were evaluated using a multi-stage sampling technique. Using data obtained from 180 farmers in eastern Nigeria, the study found that pest and diseases with a mean score value of 4.58, non-availability of farm chemicals (4.46), poor market sales of agricultural produce (4.03), and transportation difficulty (3.83) were the major production problems encountered by the respondents. The major strategies to handle these problems included cooperative organizations (41.67%), mixed cropping (94.44%), use of family labour (53.33%), and sale of produce in external markets (45.00%). Female respondents (x2 = 6.34) and respondents with larger farm holdings (x2 = 10.01), were more significantly constrained in their production activities. The need for targeted extension efforts at these two categories of farmers is therefore recommended.