ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF YAM PRODUCTION IN SOME SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT The research details an empirical illustration of the key underlining factors that shapes yam farming and production in Shiroro and Paikoro LGA of Niger state. The demographic and institutional characteristics of the yam farmers revealed the gender dominance (87.26%) of yam production by male while an average age of 41 years was obtained among the yam farmers. The production cost structure revealed an average variable cost/ha of ₦107,094.99 and this accounted for 96.57% of total production cost in the area under study. Furthermore, the inferential statistic (Multiple regression) for determinants of yam production offered significant insight on the interaction between dependent and explanatory variables. Farm size (t= 11.07), labour (t=7.33), and cost of yam seed (t=10.69) were statistically significant at 1% probability level .Family size (t=0.47) and farming experience (t=-2.24) also emerged as key determinants of yam production in area under study at 5% probability level. Some fundamental production constraints were enumerated by respondents to include, erratic rainfall pattern, high cost of planting materials, lack of access road and poor extension service. Conclusively, on the account of our research findings we suggested specific policy action to ease the price and access to critical inputs to stimulate yam output and the enterprise profitability in the study area.