Volume 8

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4. RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY ON CASSAVA PRODUCTION IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATION FOR AGRI-FOOD MARKETING

Oteh, Ogbonnaya Ukeh*

Food security is a global challenge and is further exacerbated by inefficiency in resource use in agricultural production. This affects the ability of farming households to commercialize their net surpluses. Accordingly, improved efficiency will enable agric-marketing to optimize its full function to create utilities for consumers. The goal of this study is to investigate the role of resource use efficiency on commercialization and food security of cassava farmers in Abia state. The study therefore identified determinants and levels of commercialization among farming households based on resource use. The study used multistage sampling technique in the selection of location and 90 respondents. Analytically, descriptive statistics, marginal return of efficiency (efficiency ratio), multiple regression model, and food security index were used. Result showed that the marginal variable products are less than their prices (MVP<MFC). This indicated an inefficient utilization of resources used in cassava production. Again, inputs, adoption of modern technology, labour, and household size returned as significant factors that influence resource use efficiency; the result of the food security status shows that farmers who are food insecure are greater in number than their counterparts who were food secure, with a general food insecurity incidence at 0.61. In view of this, the study recommended that government and stakeholders should come up with new initiatives and policies that will transform the smallholders from consistence-oriented to marketoriented production; training of farmers on the adoption of modern farming technologies to boost production and food security and marketable surpluses.

Keywords: Cassava, efficiency, food security, marketing, resource use