THE ROLE OF CASSAVA FARMING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ODO-ERA IN YAGBA WEST LGA OF KOGI STATE

Abstract

Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world. As a result, cassava production is one of the critical agricultural enterprises providing household income and acting as a potential catalyst for poverty alleviation in Nigeria. In Nigeria, the majority of labor associated with cassava production and processing is carried out by women. This study will examine women’s participation at every level of the cassava value chain in Nigeria, the dominant activities of the women in the production and processing of cassava, their access to land, ownership of the means of production, household dynamics and the policies instituted by the state government and local authorities to support their activities. This analysis will provide insight into the factors affecting Nigerian women in the cassava value chain, the challenges they face, and the existing practices and technologies that can be implemented to foster the integration of gender-responsive strategies and recommendations for local government authorities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                CHAPTER ONE

                                        INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The economy of Nigeria relies heavily on oil exports, making the country’s GDP heavily dependent on the volatile global oil market. Despite the country’s dependence on the petroleum industry, Nigeria, like many developing countries, is mostly agrarian, with two-thirds of Nigeria’s working population are engaged in the agricultural sector, making the agricultural industry critical to the nation’s growth. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and has the 11th largest labor force in the world and the largest in Africa ( FAO, 2020). Agriculture contributed 26.09% to the GDP in 2019, with crop production being the primary driver of the sector’s growth compared with the 8.78 % contribution to GDP from the sale of petroleum products (National Bureau of Statistics, 2019). Over 80% of farmers in the country can be identified as smallholder or subsistence farmers, and excluding wheat, they produce 98% of the food consumed in the country (Janelid, 1975). Nigerian smallholder farmers play an essential role in food security. They own, on average, 0.5 hectares of land used mostly running mixed crop-livestock systems (FAO, 2016). The agricultural sector remains mostly underdeveloped with less than 1% of farmland having irrigation creating an excessive reliance on rainfed agriculture. Additionally, only 16% of all smallholder farms have the use of mechanized equipment, and barely 6% of smallholder households have access to agricultural extension services. Seventy-two percent of smallholder farmers in Nigeria live in extreme poverty, living on less than $1.90 a day (FAO, 2016). Cassava, like almost every other crop in Nigerian agriculture is dominated by smallholder farmers, who are responsible for 90 percent of its production.

Most Nigerian cassava is produced across the country’s southern and central regions. Cross River, Nigeria’s southwestern- most state, had the highest level of production at 5 million tonnes in 2012. Kogi, to the east, produced 4.4 million tonnes. The major producer of Cassava is the Odo-Era people Odo Ere has a heritage dating back some centuries. The people of Odo Ere and their kin at Akata Ere and Oke Ere, who are collectively called Ere people, migrated from the old Oyo Kingdom. The founder of Ere was an old woman, who was believed to be a beautiful princess from the royal family in the Old Oyo Kingdom. She migrated with some people to settle at Akata more than five centuries ago. The princess who left Old Oyo with her people to settle at Akata was generally and popularly called Iya Agba (i.e. the old woman) from where the Yagba people derived their name and dialect. From the oral history account, Iyekolo stated that Iya Agba had three male children; the oldest boy remained at Akata with his mother, the younger boy migrated to build a settlement at Ẹgbẹ, while the youngest boy migrated to develop a settlement at Eri. It was believed that the oldest brother, who lived with his mother at Akata, created two settlements called Odo Oko Ere (i.e. the lower settlement), which metamorphosed to the modern-day Odo Ere town and the Oke Oko Ere (i.e. the upper settlement), which became the current Oke Ere town respectively. Yagba West Local Government Area in Kogi State is located in the Kogi West Senatorial District along the Western region of the State where it adjoins with Kwara State on the latitude of 8,15N and 5,33E with a total land area of 11,276 km. Based on the 2006 Census population figure, Yagba West Local Government Area has a population of 139,928 people then, which has been projected to 188,900 in 2016 by the National Population Commission of Nigeria. The eight communities that constitute Yagba West Local Government are traditionally called Akumejo meaning eight communities as recognised by Kwara State in 1982. From the popular oral history of West Yagba people, the historian Bolaji Iyekolo confirmed that Odo Ere is the oldest town among the eight communities that make up Yagba West Local Government. This fact was stated in 1995 by Chief Olatunji Simoyan in his book, Egbe Chronicles. The third-largest producer, Benue, produced 3.7 million tonnes in 2012. In these regions, cassava is a central part of life, accounting for 40-50 percent of all consumed calories. Production in all of these states and Nigeria as a whole has boomed over the past decade. The country went from harvesting 36 million tonnes of the tuber in 2003 to 53 million in 2013, a 47 percent increase. Growth was driven by a substantial increase in yields—which jumped by 44 percent over this period. The Presidential Initiative on Cassava, which ran from 2012-2017, was a major factor contributing to the yield increase. The broad objectives of the initiative were to increase the amount of land dedicated to cassava, boost production, and encourage exports of processed cassava products. Although the program did not reach its targets in overall production or exports, its practice of distributing improved, disease-resistant seed varieties did help boost yields. An evaluation by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in a concurrent initiative found that farmers involved in the two programs harvested more than double per area compared to those that did not participate. Still, yields in Nigeria are far below those of other major cassava producers. Even in Thailand, where farmers are also smallholders, yields are 150 percent higher than they are in Nigeria – 21.8 tonnes/hectare compared to 13.9 tonnes/hectare, respectively.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Cassava is one of the most important food crops of Africa. It is a food security and income generation crop for many millions of people and has traditionally been a subsistence crop of predominantly low-income families in rural and urban areas, but now it is increasingly becoming a valued crop with the emergence of its uses in various commercial applications. The crop’s high resilience and adaptability to a wide range of ecological conditions has sustained its production through many generations in sub-Saharan Africa since its introduction. It is consumed in various different traditional forms varying from country to country and across communities in a country. Of all tropical Africa root and tuber crops, cassava covers the largest area. Through sales of fresh roots and processed products, it provides: increased income for farming households; increased employment opportunities; potential to target development benefits to women; potential lower food prices for consumers; competitively priced raw materials and more convenience e.g. improved traditional products. Sanni et al. (2003). Yet the demand for Cassava rightly out way it supply. It is in view of this that the researcher intend to investigate the role of cassava farming on the development of Odo-Era in Yagba LGA of Kogi state.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study has one main objective which is sub-divided into general and specific objective. The general objective is to examine the role of cassava farming on the development of Odo Era in Yagba LGA of Kogi state. The specific objectives are;

1. To examine the role of cassava farming on the economic development of Ado-Era Yagba west LGA
2. To examine the relationship between cassava farming and food security in the study area

• To ascertain the impact of cassava farming on poverty reduction in the study area

1. To proffer suggested solutions to the identified problem
   • RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;

1. Does cassava farming play any role on the economic development of Ado-Era Yagba west LGA?
2. Is there any significant relationship between cassava farming and food security in the study area

• Does cassava farming have any impact on poverty reduction in the study area?
  • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;

H₀: There is no significant relationship between cassava farming and food security in the study area

H₁: There is a significant relationship between cassava farming and food security in the study area

• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the management of Yagba west local government area of Kogi state, as the findings of this study will help the management of the LGA to develop strategies and avenue of improving cassava farming in the study area. The study will also be of great importance to the cassava farmers association in Odo-Era in Yagba LGA of Kogi state as the findings of the study will aid them to improve the quality and quantity of cassava production in the state. The study will also be of importance to researcher who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a pathfinder to further study. Finally, the study will be of importance to student, teachers, academia and the general public as the findings of this study will add to the pool of existing literature and also contribute to knowledge on the subject matter.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the role of cassava farming on the development of Odo-Era in Yagba West LGA of Kogi state but in the course of the study, there are some factors that limit the scope of the study;

AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.

• OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Cassava

Cassava is a nutty-flavored, starchy root vegetable or tuber. Native to South America, it’s a major source of calories and carbs for people in developing countries. In the United States, cassava is often called yuca and may also be referred to as manioc or Brazilian arrowroot.

Farming

Farming is the act or process of working the ground, planting seeds, and growing edible plants. You can also describe raising animals for milk or meat as farming. Farming is a great way to describe the lifestyle and work of people whose jobs are in the agriculture industry

Development

Development is a process that creates growth, progress, positive change or the addition of physical, economic, environmental, social and demographic components

1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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