CHAPTER
ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     
Background
of the study

This
study is aimed at finding out the cost of economic cultivation of cassava in
Itu Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State. It is one of the world’s most
important staple food crops and provides a major source of carbohydrate to
those who feeds on it.Many development oriented policies have been implemented
in Nigeria, especially in the agricultural sector since independence. The
Federal Government has made some institutional and policy reforms targeted at
improving the socio-economic status of the smallholder farmers. These include
Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF), River Basin Development
Authorities (RBDAs), Agricultural Development Programmes (ADP) and the Cassava
Multiplication Programme (CMP) and the School to Land Programme mounted by the
Rivers State Government. Available reports showed that many aspects of agricultural
production, such as cultivation, marketing, processing, etc were covered (ADP,
2005). The Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) is an offshoot of the CMP.
Nnanna (2010) contended that RTEP is a farmer oriented programme whose
beneficiaries are poor households and smallholder farmers but the overall
objective of RTEP is to enhance national food self-sufficiency, improve rural
households’ food security and income for poor farmers within the cassava belt
which include the Southern and Middle belt States of Nigeria (Onyeneke, 2008).
Cassava is an important source of dietary carbohydrate, and provides food for
over 60 million people in Nigeria (Abdulahi, 2003). Cassava’s adaptability to
relatively marginal soils, erratic rainfall; its high productivity per unit of
land and labour, the certainty of obtaining some yield even under the most
adverse conditions and the possibility of maintaining continuity of supply
throughout the year (Nweke, 1994), make this root crop a basic component of the
farming system in many areas of Nigeria including Rivers State. Famine rarely
occurs in areas where cassava is widely grown, since it provides a stable food
base to the food production system. Apart from its use as a staple food to
human beings other uses include animal feed formulation, agro-industrial uses
(e.g. starch, ethanol, adhesive, fructose/glucose syrup), the peels in
organo-mineral fertilizers formulation (Ojeniyi, 2001; Akanbi, et.al.; 2006,
Iyagba, 2010). Cassava has become the magic crop in Nigeria as a result of the
Presidential initiative on cassava some years ago with good export potential.

Agriculture
is the backbone of Itu farmers and cassava production is their area of
specialization. Cassava originated from Brazil and was introduced into tropical
West Africa by the Portuguese in the 16th and 17th centuries (Woyengi
– Ina 1969). Cassava production in Itu Local Government Area is as old as the
community itself. Sweet cassava (ManihotUltilisima) is a member of
the Euphobieace species which originated from South Africa and is cultivated in
all warm regions of the world (IR VINE 1969).

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

1.5 
HYPOTHESIS

H0:there
are no factors that hinders effective cassava production in Itu LGA

H1:there
are factors that hinders effective cassava production in Itu LGA

H02:cassava
production has no significant impact on the economic development of Itu LGA

H2:cassava
production has a significant impact on the economic development of Itu LGA

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It
is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great
importance to the farmers in Itu LGA and beyond, as the study seek to ascertain
the factors inhibiting effective production of cassava in the local government,
the study will also be of importance to the Local government management, as the
study seek to explore the benefit of effective cassava production to the
economy of Itu LGA and beyond, as this will facilitate effective financing of
the agricultural sector.

The
study would also be of immense importance to students, researchers and scholars
who are interested in developing a further study on the subject matter

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The
scope of the study covers the economic problems of cassava production in Itu
LGA of AkwaIbom state. But in the cause of the study, there were some factors
which limited the scope of the study:

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

b)    
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.

c)    
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

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Cassava

Manihotesculenta 
is a woody shrubnative
to South America of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.
It is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions
for its edible starchy tuberous root, a
major source of carbohydrates.

Cassava production

Cassava (Manihotesculenta) production is vital
to the economy of Nigeria as the country is the
world’s largest producer of the commodity. The crop is produced in 24 of the
country’s 36 states.

Economic growth

Economic growth is the increase in
the inflation-adjusted market value of
the goods and services produced by an economy over
time. It is conventionally measured as the percent rate of increase in
real gross domestic product, or real GDP.

1.9ORGANIZATION 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
(background of the study), statement of the problem, objectives of the study,
research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of
the study etc. Chapter two being the review of the related literature presents
the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and other areas concerning the
subject matter.     Chapter three is a
research methodology covers deals on the research design and methods 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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