Determinants of Beneficiaries Level of Utilization of Value Chain Development Programme Services by Cassava Producers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Subject Areas : Agricultural Extension

Chioma Jennifer Iyere Freedom ¹ , Elizabeth Amechi Onwubuya ² , Precious Obinna Arigbo ³ , Rita Ifunanya Molokwu ⁴

1 - Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
2 - Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
3 - Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
4 - Department of Agricultural Extension, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Received: 2023-09-23 Accepted : 2023-11-26 Published : 2024-04-22

Keywords: Socioeconomic, beneficiaries, utilization, cassava, production services,

Abstract :

The study analyzed the determinants of beneficiaries level of utilization of value chain development programme services by cassava producers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 130 cassava producers who were beneficiaries of the programme. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule to solicit information from the illiterate farmers. Percentage, standard deviation, mean scores, and regression analysis were used for data analysis and result presentation. Results reveal that 57.7% of the beneficiaries were male with a mean age of 38.5 years. Also, 60% of the beneficiaries were moderate users of cassava production services disseminated by the programme. The regression results show that years of farming experience (t=3.360, p =0.001), years spent to acquire education (t=2.948, p=0.004), and annual income (t=-3.354, p=0.001) significantly influenced the beneficiaries' level of utilization of cassava production services. The study recommends that the government and programme implementers should organize workshops and training programmes through extension agent for the farmers to help update their knowledge of production. The government and other relevant stakeholders should provide financial incentives to the beneficiaries to sustain and improve their level of utilization of the production services disseminated to minimize the cost of production and motivate them to produce.

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