AKSU Journal of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
ISSN(Online): 2736-0040 ISSN(Print): 2695-1975
ISSN(Online): 2736-0040 ISSN(Print): 2695-1975
Abstract
The threat of extinction of many agro forestry vegetables in the study area raises a question on why their production is low relative to the common garden vegetables, despite their high demand which would have ordinarily been an incentive for their production. This study therefore compared the costs and returns of selected agroforestry vegetables (afang, editan and atama) in Mkpat Enin local government area, Akwa Ibom state. It specifically, identified the socioeconomic characteristics of farmers in the study area, analyzed the costs and returns as well as the gross margin of afang, editan, and atama, identified the factors influencing the cultivation of afang, editan and atama and examined the constraints affecting the cultivation of afang, editan and atama in the study area. A multistage sampling procedure was deployed in the selection of the 120 respondents for this study. Structured questionnaires were served to extract data from the respondents. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, and multiple regression model. Findings showed that male farmers were 59.2%, while female farmers were 40.8%. Majority (51.7%) of the respondents were within 41 and 60 years age bracket, most of them (64.2%) were married. Majority (66.7%) of the agro forestry farmers had household size of 6-10 persons with mean size of 6.Results of multiple regression analysis showed that household size, contact with extension agents, gender, years of formal education and years of farming experience were significant variables that influenced the returns of the selected agroforestry vegetables in the study area. The average revenue from the production of afang was N204, 750.00, followed by Atama and editan with N103,250.00 and N58,534.50, respectively. The respective gross margin per farmer for afang, editan and atama were 13,341,900.00; N2,004,000.00 and N 3,428,000.00. Climate change impacts, land tenure insecurity, limited agricultural extension services and low patronage were the serious constraints to agro forestry vegetable farming in the study area.
It was concluded that agro forestry vegetable production is a profitable investment in the study area and recommended that the agro forestry farmers should build in cost serving measures in the farm business, while the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and the Ministry of Agriculture should also teach farmers the agronomic practices of odusa and atama in addition to afang to improve on their productivity and farmers’ income.