CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Nigeria is largely an agrarian
country, because 70 percent of the population is engaged in agricultural
production at a sustainable level despite the fact that the country depend on
the oil industry for its budgeting revenues (WHO, 2006). The importance of this
sector is more pronounced in the developing countries including Nigeria where
it is the main thrust of national survival, employment, food and foreign
exchange earnings (Adebayo et al. 2005).
Nigeria is a nation blessed with
good climatic condition that favours agricultural production. Nigeria's wide
range of climatic variation allows it to produce a wide variety of cash crops,
fruits and vegetables. However, food production trend does not correspond to
the population growth of Nigeria which is put at about 3.2 percent. The rate of
growth of Nigeria‟s food production has been very low. Food growth rate has
been put at 2.65 percent and population growth at 3.2 percent, leaving a food
deficit of 0.55 percent (CBN, 2007). Despite the great inherent potential for
farming in Nigeria, the country has not kept up with the rapid population
growth due to the decline in agricultural production as a result of the
discovery of oil and gas. According to Abdullahi (2001), the general lack of
scientific and technological capacity will severely limit actual production in
spite of the inherent potential. Also poor resource base, coupled with
competing demands for other developmental needs makes public funding for
agriculture grossly inadequate. Mention could also be made of poor
prioritization, mismanagement of limited resources and lack of sufficient
political will as additional factor limiting agricultural growth in most
developing countries, Nigeria inclusive (Iken and Amusa, 2004; Oniah, 2005). In
spite of the different initiative programmes by successive Governments aimed at
boosting agricultural production in Nigeria such as the River Basin Development
Authority, Land Use Decree, World Bank Assisted Agricultural Development
Programme, National Fadama Development Project, Root and Tuber Expansion
Programme , and the Special Programme on Food Security (Panwal et.al. 2006),
the horticultural sub-sector still remain relatively under-developed. The
horticultural sub-sector also reflects the problem in the agricultural
sub-sector. These problems include inadequate knowledge of production,
technology of production, insufficient planting materials, land tenure, poor
extension and insufficient post harvest facilities (Babatola,
2004).Horticultural crop production in Nigeria has been hampered by the policy
and fiscal constraints of the government. It has received very little attention
in the national perspective plan for agricultural development (Oseni, 2004). In
addition, Nigeria has only one research institute, the National Horticultural
Research Institute (NIHORT) established in 1975 for all horticultural crops.
Fruit crop farming in Nigeria is associated with general negative outcomes stemming
from imperfect predictable biological climatic and price variables. Those
variables include natural adversities such as pest and diseases, weather
factors not within the control of the agricultural producer and adverse
fluctuation in both input and output prices.
Fruits are of great nutritional
value. Fruits have been significantly singled out in human nutrition for the
supply of minerals and vitamins, hormone pre-cursors in addition to protein and
energy (Taylor, 2003). Fruit production forms a substantial percentage (about
25%) of the major food crops cultivated in the tropics and so it is the source
of livelihood for a considerable section of the population (Abba, 2004). In
spite of their importance in the diet, per capita consumption of fruits in
Nigeria is only 100g compared with 400g per head per day as recommended by the
World Health Organization (WHO). In Nigeria, numerous quantities of fruits and
vegetables are produced and staggering figures are given as estimated annual
production level (Dauda et al. 2008). Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
belongs to the family of bromeliaceae. Pineapple is popularly known as
“queen of fruit” because of its excellent flavour, shape and taste of fruit
(Mali et al. 2001). It is one of the most important commercial fruits of
the world and also available throughout the year. Collins (1980) and David and
Adam (1991) stated that the primary areas of world production of Pineapple are
the Philippine, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and part of Africa. The fruit is
relatively drought resistance and can be grown in the sub tropical and dry
region as well as the humid tropics (FAO, 1990). The Pineapple is the second
fruit of importance after banana, contributing over 20 percent of the world
production of tropical fruits (Coveca, 2002). Nearly 70 percent of the
Pineapple is consumed as fresh fruit in producing countries. Its origin had
been traced to Brazil and Paraguay in the Amazonic basin where the fruit was
domesticated (FAO, 2008).
Until recently about 80% of
Pineapple produced in Nigeria came from small scale farms managed under mixed
cropping system. Recent access to international markets, enhanced value of
fresh fruits, resuscitation of pineapple cultivation and local processing have
encouraged the development of few large scale farms where Pineapple is produced
as a mono crop (Adesope et al. 2009).
1.2 Problem Statement
Securing adequate food supply has
been the fundamental concern of mankind over the millennia and even in today‟s
modern world of great scientific and technological achievements. The world is
faced with the problem of food shortage. Obiefunna and Lemechi (2001) reported
that majority of the people in West Africa lack adequate food that are rich in
nutrients needed by man for health and reproductive life. Between 1998 and
2000, more than a quarter of the population of Africa was chronically
undernourished (FAO, 2002). In sub-Saharan Africa, it is expected that the
number of undernourished people will increase from 180 million in 1997 to 184
million by 2015 (Ijeoma, 2004). This stands in sharp contrast to the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) of halving hunger and malnutrition and poverty by
2015. Nigeria up till now is yet to achieve 5 percent total calories intake of
non–starch food recommended by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and
the 400g per head per day fruit as recommended by the World Health Organization
(FAO, 2002). These, however, could not be achieved without using appropriate
technologies. There are several production constraints that impede the full
benefit of fruits as an important supplementary source of food and nutrients.
Population growth and poverty
which pervade sub-Sahara Africa continues to emphasize the need to increase
food production (Adinya et al. 2008). Predominant use of traditional
system of farming is leading to declining agricultural production (Adinya,
2001). The traditional system of agricultural production still dominate with
characteristically low technological base, high reliance on manual labour and
hence low resource productivity. Manual farm operation imposed several
limitations on farmers‟ capacity to increase their farm size and is technically
inefficient and labour intensive (Amaza et al. 2002). The transformation
of agriculture from low productivity traditional inputs to high productivity
modern inputs is a major problem facing agricultural development in sub-Sahara
African countries (Ibrahim et al. 2006). Despite the nutritional and
commercial value of fruits including pineapple, their production remains low in
Nigeria. Excessive feeding on starchy food has been found to cause malnutrition
and the resultant effect is the adverse effect on one‟s health; particularly
the mental capability, working productivity and eventually the overall national
economic growth. Malnutrition reduces the working capacity of farmers and their
families. In several cases, serious physical and mental retardation and even
death may occur. As a result of the reduced working capacity, income may
decrease and poverty may increase (AVRDC, 2004). Aside its nutritive and
economic importance, therefore, pineapple production has encouraging potentials
for foreign exchange earnings, increase national income through the expansion
of local industries and higher incomes for farmers involved in its production.
This study seeks to address the following research questions:
i. What are the socio-economic
characteristics of pineapple farmers in the study area?
ii. What are the costs and
returns associated with pineapple production?
iii. What is the technical
relationship between input and output in pineapple production?
iv. What is the technical
efficiency of pineapple production?
v. What is the economic
efficiency of pineapple production?
vi. What are the major constraints facing pineapple
production?
Department: Agricultural Economics
Format: Microsoft Word
Format: Microsoft Word
Chapters: 1 - 5, Preliminary Pages, Abstract, References, Questionnaire
Delivery: Email
Delivery: Email
No. of Pages: 81
Price: 3000 NGN
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