Browsing by Author "Onuk, E. G."
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Item Open Access Knowledge, Perception and Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change among Farmers in Southern Agricultural Zone of Nasarawa State, Nigeria(Department of Agricultural Economics & Extension Nasarawa State Univeristy Keffi, Nigeria., 2012-03-23) Emmanuel, Salau S.; Onuk, E. G.; Ibrahim, A.Climate change is perhaps the most serious environmental threat facing mankind worldwide. The study was designed to assess the knowledge, perception and adaptation strategies to climate change among farmers in southern agricultural zone of Nasarawa state. The specific objectives were to: identify the sources of information on climate change by respondents; assess their knowledge and perception of climate change phenomenon; identify adaptation strategies used and the factors militating against their adaptive capacity. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a total of 150 respondents from the zone for the study. Data collection was through an interview schedule. Simple descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage and mean scores were used to achieve the objectives. The null hypothesis was tested using a multiple regression model. The mean age of the respondents was 48 years. Majority (89.33%) of them were males while their average farming experience was 27 years. Most (38%) of the farmers in the area had no formal education and majority (76.7%) of them used inherited farmlands. Annual income level of the respondents was encouraging with a mean of N326, 461.30 per annum. Most (68%) of them relied on radio as their major source of information on climate change. The perceived indicators of climate change included excessive high temperatures, low and irregular rainfall pattern and low crop yields among others. Adaptation strategies used by the respondents included agro-forestry practices, crop diversification, use of organic manures, planting of early maturing and disease/drought resistant varieties. The major constraints to adaptation by the respondents were inadequate finance, poor infrastructures, unfavourable government/trade policies and poor technology. It was recommended that adult education programmes should be strengthened in the area to reduce illiteracy among farmers. Extension agents in the area should incorporate climate change information in their extension messages while government should intensify efforts in the area of integrated rural development.Item Open Access TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN CASSAVA PRODUCTION: A CASE OF SMALL HOLDER FARMERS IN WAMBA LGA OF NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA.(2015-09-26) Onuk, E. G.; Salau, E. S.; Luka, E. G.; Biam, C. K.77ie study employed the use of the stochastic frontier production function to analyze the technical efficiency of cassava fanners in Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A multi stage random sampling technique was used to select 150 cassava farmers from the five districts of the study area. The Data was analyzed using descriptive, inferential statistical techniques and stochastic frontier production function. The empirical estimates showed that an average cassava farmer in the study area had technical efficiency score of 0.879. This implies that cassava farmers in the study area are technically efficient. Non physical factors served as determinants of technical efficiency, they were Age, Education, Family size. Farming experience. Access to credit. Access to cooperative and Extension contact and were however not found to be significant. Majority of cassava farmers in the study area had no access to credit, no contact with extension agents, non formal education which affected the farmers ’ technical efficiency. It was recommended that government should provide adequate information on credit availability to rural farmers, extension agents should be posted to rural areas and farmers should be sensitized to patronize them and improve production of cassava in the study area, the state and the country as a whole