Economic Assessment of Pesticides Usage in Leafy Vegetable Production among small-scale Farmers in Kwara State
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Date
2016
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Nasarawa State University, Keffi
Abstract
The study assessed the returns to leafy vegetable production due to pesticide usage and examined the
factors that influence pesticide usage in leafy vegetable production. Three-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents that were administered with a well-structured questionnaire. Descriptive Statistics, Gross Margin Analysis, and the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression were the analytical tools employed for the study. The findings revealed that Corchorus olitorius (Ewedu) was the most-produced vegetable by 84.17% of small-scale farmers, and the least-produced vegetable was Vernonia amygdalina (Bitter leaf). The total revenue of vegetable farmers is ₦3,268.00, and the gross margin is N1, 936.51 due to pesticide usage with a rate of returns of 59%. this indicated that leafy vegetable production is an essential income earner for farmers in the study area. The results of the multiple linear regression revealed that all the variables (age, fertilizer use, farm income, family size, farm size, years of experience, pesticide training, apathy and access to credit) were positively significant at 1%, 5% and 10% respectively. The findings of the study, therefore will inform the government and agricultural-related agencies on the relevance of pesticide usage for profitability in the production of leafy vegetables among small-scale farmers.
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Keywords
Vegetable production, small-scale, vegetable farmers, pesticide, pesticide usage
Citation
Oloyede, W.O., Muhammad-Lawal, A., Amolegbe, K.B., Ibrahim, H.K., & Ogunsusi, A.A. (2016): Economic Assessment of Pesticides Usage in Leafy Vegetable Production among small-scale Farmers in Kwara State. Production Agriculture and Technology (PAT) Journal. 12(2): 42-48 Published by the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. Available online at http://patnsukjournal.net/JournalsPrevious.aspx