Research
Analysis of Rural Cassava Farmersa Participation in the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Scheme in Imo State, Nigeria
The importance of insurance in mitigating food insecurity necessitated this study that analyzed rural cassava farmers’ participation in the Nigeria agricultural insurance scheme in Imo State, Nigeria. The study focused on the socio-economic differentials of participants and non participant; reasons for participation and determinants of participation. Data collected from 90 sampled cassava farmers using structured questionnaire and interview schedule were analyzed with the aid of percentage count, frequency tables, z-test and logit regression model at 0.05 levels of significance. The result shows socio-economic differentials in the age, education, farming experience and social organization membership, status of participants and non participants in the scheme. The reasons for participation included to acquire loan and continue in business even after suffering losses, and for non – participation included inadequate knowledge of the scheme and cost of insurance, the socioeconomic and farm enterprise characteristics of age, education, marital status, farming status, farming experience, farm size and credit opportunity determined the farmers participant in the scheme. It was recommended that extension education campaign be mounted for enlightenment on the scheme and consideration should be given to the farmers socio-economic and farm enterprise characteristics in designing intervention strategies and advocacy on the scheme.
Environmental Conservation Information Needs of Farmers in Owerri West Area of Imo State, Nigeria
The enormous consequences of the wanton devastation of the environment inspired this study that evaluated the environmental conservation in Owerri West Area of Imo State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study included; to determine the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, ascertain the farmers environment conservation information needs, investigate their environmental conservation practices and identify the problem militating against sustainable environment conservation practices. The data for the study were collected from 120 randomly selected farmers from 6 communities out the 18 existing communicates in the area of study. The data collected were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean. The result showed that farmers needed information in the area of environmental disaster management and funding sources for environmental management. The perceived effects of environmental conservation were to improve the farmers’ socio-economic life and reduce hazards. The results also showed that inadequate knowledge base of environmental conservation practices was a major problem militating against environmental conservation and that maturing was the most conservation practice carried out by the farmers. It was however recommended that extension education campaigns on environmental conservation practices should be intensified and the socio-economic determinants of the farmers’ information needs be considered in interventions and advocacies.
