Jul 2026· FUDMA Journal of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology· 0 citations· 38 references
Abstract
Farmland access remains a key constraint for smallholder farmers in Nigeria, with increasing reliance on the land rental market. This study investigates the determinants of farmland market participation among smallholder farmers in Ogun State across different land arrangement types, socio-economic characteristics, and participation outcomes. Primary data from 150 respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic regression, bivariate logit model, and a problem ranking index. Result of the socio-economic analysis revealed that most farmers were above 40 years, with farming as a secondary occupation for many. Participation in the rental market was notable, with 58% renting in land and 41.3% renting out. Multinomial regression results showed that education significantly reduced the likelihood of choosing ownership (p < 0.001), communal (p = 0.056), and sharecropping (p = 0.009). Farm size positively influenced selection of ownership (B = 0.81, p = 0.001) and communal (B = 1.11, p = 0.004) arrangements. Bivariate logit estimates showed land size significantly reduced the likelihood of renting in (B = -0.84, p = 0.012) but increased renting out (B = 1.02, p = 0.018). Household size increased rent-in participation (B = 0.56, p = 0.031), whereas age significantly influenced rent-out decisions (B = 0.44, p = 0.022). The significant correlation coefficient (rho = 0.411, p = 0.008) indicated interdependence between both decisions. The findings reveal a dynamic farmland market shaped by socio-economic pressures and land scarcity. Land tenure arrangements, farmers' cooperatives, and land information services need to be strengthened to improve land access and rural productivity.
Agricultural productivity in Tanzania remains low, limiting food security and rural livelihoods. To inform evidence-based interventions, this study analyzed determinants of smallholder staple crop harvests using Wave 5 of the National Panel Survey with 237 households having complete socio-economic, farm input, and environmental data. A generalized linear model with a Gamma distribution and log link was used to account for the right-skewed, strictly positive nature of harvest data. Stepwise models were estimated separately for socio-economic, farm input, and environmental/institutional factors. The socio-economic model showed positive effects of asset ownership (β = 0.0125, p < 0.1) and negative effects of older household heads (β = –0.0159, p < 0.05; log pseudolikelihood = –1804.43, AIC = 15.28, BIC = –967.21, deviance = 355.92). The farm input model identified plot size as strongly positive (β = 0.216, p < 0.01) and irrigation as negative (β = –1.701, p < 0.05; log pseudolikelihood = –1802.23, AIC = 15.28, BIC = –895.19, deviance = 351.53), indicating slightly better fit than the socio-economic model. The environmental/institutional model performed poorly (log pseudolikelihood = –1840.04, AIC = 15.59, BIC = –830.58, deviance = 427.15). The full combined model, integrating all variables, provided the best overall fit (log pseudolikelihood = –1775.08, AIC = 15.15, BIC = –889.35, deviance = 297.22), with positive effects of plot size, asset ownership, household size, and organic fertilizer, and negative effects of irrigation, hired labor, and older household heads. Findings indicate that socio-economic and farm input factors jointly drive productivity, emphasizing interventions to strengthen household resources and improve input efficiency.
Evod J. Rimisho, Zainab Hassan, M. Kimaro· Eastern Africa Journal of Of...· 0 citations
Agribusiness-led contract farming has increasingly emerged as an important mechanism for integrating smallholder farmers into commercial agricultural value chains. This research evaluated the livelihood outcomes associated with participation in the Tomato Jos Out-Grower Scheme among smallholder maize farmers in Kaduna State of Nigeria. Purposive sampling method was used to choose 180 active farmers from a group of 600 registered out-growers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data, which wasthen analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The results showed that most farmers are men (82.2%), own less than one hectare of land (96.7%), and rely on farming as their main source of income (72.8%). Multiple regression analysis revealed that farm size, land tenure, educational attainment, and income source significantly influenced livelihood outcomes among participating farmers. Taking part in the programme led to clear gains in crop yield, income, market access, and food security. Nevertheless, restricted access to credit persisted as the paramount limitation (97.8%). The study finds that contract farming led by agribusiness greatly improves the lives of smallholder farmers, but the results are different for people with different socio-economic backgrounds. Enhancing the efficacy of development initiatives requires policies that facilitate loan availability and secured land tenure arrangement.
M. Abdullahi, D. Abdulazeez, A. S. Haruna et al.· Agro-Science· 0 citations
Smallholder maize farming in Bungoma County, Kenya, continues to face labour shortages, low productivity, and inefficient farm operations, increasing the need for mechanization among smallholder farmers. However, the use of agricultural machinery remains constrained by limited awareness, inadequate credit access, and financial limitations. This study examined factors influencing the use of tractors, chisel ploughs, sprayers, and sheller machines among 330 smallholder maize farmers in Bungoma County using a multivariate probit (MVP) model. The findings revealed significant complementarities among machinery use decisions, justifying the suitability of the MVP approach (Wald χ2 = 157.08, p < 0.001). Age positively influenced the use of tractors (β = 0.0369, p < 0.01) and shellers (β = 0.0272, p < 0.05), indicating that older farmers are more likely to adopt mechanization due to accumulated farming experience and financial stability. Education significantly increased the likelihood of using tractors (β = 0.3062, p < 0.01), sprayers (β = 0.3885, p < 0.01), and shellers (β = 0.2083, p < 0.10). Awareness of mechanization strongly enhanced the use of all machinery types, including tractors (β = 1.5499, p < 0.01) and shellers (β = 1.7988, p < 0.01). Cooperative membership positively affected the use of chisel ploughs (β = 0.5709, p < 0.01) and shellers (β = 0.7379, p < 0.01), while access to market information significantly increased sprayer use (β = 0.3635, p < 0.05). The study recommends strengthening extension services, cooperative-based mechanization models, and affordable credit systems to enhance mechanization uptake and improve maize productivity among smallholder farmers.
Emmauel Kamali, D. Okello, F. Opondo· Journal of Agricultural Scie...· 0 citations
Onion production is an important source of food, income, and employment for many rural households in Nigeria. Despite its economic importance, productivity among smallholder onion farmers remains below potential due to technical inefficiency in the use of available production resources. This study examined the technical efficiency of onion farmers in Taraba State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 254 onion farmers using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and the stochastic frontier production model. The results revealed that the respondents were relatively young and economically active, with a mean age of 38 years, an average household size of 6 persons, and an average farming experience of 10 years. The estimated mean technical efficiency was 0.658, indicating that farmers achieved only 65.8% of the potential output, leaving room for a 34.2% improvement through more efficient use of existing resources. The estimated sigma-square value (0.0027) was statistically significant, confirming the suitability of the stochastic frontier model, while lambda value (2.23298) indicated that the differences between observed and potential output were mainly due to technical inefficiency. The gamma estimate of 0.83 further showed that 83% of the variation in onion output was attributable to technical inefficiency. Education, farming experience and age significantly improved farmers’ technical efficiency, whereas limited access to extension services and credit reduced efficiency. The study concludes that onion production in Taraba State has considerable potential for increased productivity through improved resource-use efficiency.
M. B. Danji, Justice Inyanda Onu, A. Tashikalma· FUDMA Journal of Sciences· 0 citations
The socioeconomic determinants influencing marketers’ participation in marketing cassava products in Enugu metropolis were studied. Combinations of multistage and purposive sampling techniques were employed in the collection of data from 270 cassava product marketers using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to realize the objectives of the study. The findings show that the mean age of the marketers was 41 years, with the majority of them (83.33%) being females. About 66.67 % of the marketers were married, with a mean household size of 7 persons and an average marketing experience of 10 years. The result equally revealed that the average initial amount invested in the business was N 280,211, while the average quantity of product marketed per day was 134 kg, with an average of 2 persons employed as labour. About 91.11 % of the marketers can read and write. The X2 value of 2931.250 was statistically significant at p < 0.05. It was revealed that age, marketing experience, years spent in school, quantity of product marketed, number of labourers employed and the initial amount invested in the business have a positive influence on cassava product marketing. The results further revealed that the inter-relationship between years spent in school and marketing Experience (.823**), initial amount invested and years spent in school (.638*), quantity marketed and marketing experience (.577*), labour employed and quantity of cassava product marketed (.517*) has a strong effect on cassava product marketing decisions. It was recommended that accessible loans and friendly economic policies be instituted to encourage marketers.
C. Ochiaka, Kaine· African Journal of Agricultu...· 0 citations
Land degradation threatens food security in developing countries, yet smallholder farmers’ adoption of sustainable land management practices (SLMPs) remains low. Thus, this study examined the key factors influencing farmers’ adoption and selection of SLMPs. The main objective of this study was to identify the factors that influence the implementation of sustainable land management practices and the choice of practices. Both primary and secondary data sources were used and a detailed survey data were collected from 310 randomly sampled households in two rural Kebeles in the study area. Both descriptive analysis and econometric models were used to analyze the data. The descriptive analysis results indicated that approximately 149 (48.06%) households were adopters of SLMP practices, and the remaining 161 (51.94%) households were non-adopters. A binary logit regression model revealed that the education level, the total number of livestock owned, farmland plot ownership, total farmland size, and farmers' perception on their farm plot slope were significant determinants of the SLMP adoption. The multivariate probit model (MVP) results indicate that the probability of choosing agronomic SLMPs (81.8%) is much higher than the probability of selecting biological SLMPs (55.2%), physical SLMPs (33.1%), and mixed or more than one SLMP (42.6%). Also the joint probabilities of success (15.15%) or failure (5.65%) of choosing the four SLMPs shows households were more likely to succeed in jointly choosing the four SLMPs. The finding showed that age, education level, access to extension service, off-farm activities, family size, livestock ownership, plot ownership, access to credit and perception of farmers on the slope of the plot and soil fertility significantly affects SLMP choice at different levels of significance. Therefore, the study concluded that there is a need to focus on smallholder farmers' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and plot-related significant variables to address the problem of SLM practices.
K. Tassie, Dessie Sisay Ashagrie, D. Adugna· Discover Environment· 0 citations