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The Economic Problems Of Cassava Production
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Cassava was not known in wild state and its evolution as a species is
directly linked to selection by man under cultivation. A famine reserve
by Colonial governments such as Java and the British in West Africa and
Southern India and of cassava processing export industries were
established in Makker (Hinton, 1988) given extended maturity duration,
cassava cultivation is limited to the tropics and sub tropical.
In
Itu, this root crop is only second to yam. This importance is traced to
the colonial period when cassava was often famine reserve crop. Some
farm holdings in cassava cultivation to the present day support this
view. However, cassava today is a commercial crop inter planted so often
with other crops. Hardwood stems cuttings usually about 30mm long are
planted either on moulds or ridges or on the flat bed. Manuring the soil
improves the yield, but little attention with early weeding is
beneficial. Cassava is consumed in many forms such as garri, fufu,
tapioca, flour, boiled or roasted for consumption and can be consumed or
boiled to pigs, and other herbivores. The leaves are eaten as
vegetable.
In Itu, AkwaIbom State generally, there exist extensive
trade in garri, cassava is widely produced, just like cash crop with
existing market in future. Development of cassava production will
require strengthening of the market for the crop. Finance is one of the
problems that farmers from Itu encounter because most of the cassava
farmers lack finance to purchase planting materials and to hire labour
to support the farming operation. Sometimes government give grants, but
farmers misused the fund.
1.2 PROBLEMS STATEMENT
1. To find out if there are suitable planting materials in cassava production.
2. To determine if farmers in Itu find cassava production more lucrative.
· To investigate if there are available resources and materials to enhance cassava cultivation in Itu.
1.3 JUSTIFICATION AND BENEFICIARIES
Cassava
is an important crop in Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State. It
provides over 80% of the natives of Itu constant food on their table.
It is therefore cultivated with pride. The justification of the study
therefore is on the fact that there is need to analyze scientifically if
cassava production is economically (profitably) viable in Itu Local
Government Area of AkwaIbom State.
The beneficiaries of the study
include the farmers in the village, the clan, the state and the Nigeria
in general. Also expected benefits from the study include researchers in
the field of agriculture, economics and marketing research units of
colleges of education and universities.
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
main objective of the study is to analyse the problem of cassava
production in Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State. The
sub-objective include:
· To ascertain the factors that hinders cassava production in Itu LGA.
· To examine the various factors which influenced and limit cassava cultivation in Itu Local Government Area.
· To determine the profitability of cassava production in Itu Local Government Area.
· To determine the impact of cassava production on the economic development of Itu LGA
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
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