ABSTRACT

This study evaluated seed yam production in Akwa Ibom State. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 seed yam farmers. These farmers were chosen from three agricultural zones on the basis of their greater involvement in yam production than other agricultural zones in the state. The data were analyzed using percentages, descriptive and inferential statistics, in addition to multiple regression, Cobb-Douglas production function and farm budgeting models. The production function results showed that all the coefficients of the independent variables were positive, implying their individual contributions to increase in output of seed yam. The summation of these coefficients produced an elasticity of 1.24, implying increasing returns to output, if more inputs were added to the production stream, suggesting and expansion possibility for the farmers. Farm budgeting results revealed a substantial investment in variable costs items constituting 96.35% of the total costs of production, where labour input constituted 69.91 percent of the total costs and 72.56 percent of the total variable costs of production. Seed production was profitable in the state based on the Net Returns per naira of 87.17 percent, 87-88 kobo profit on every naira spent on the seed yarn production. Multiple regression results showed a low intensity of adoption (0.164) of the yam minisett technology. This implies that the farmers that adopted the yam minisett technology devoted 16.4 percent of their yam farm to seed yam production. The rate of adoption of the yam minisett technology was 30.8 percent, implying that 30.8 percent of the farmers studied adopted the technology. Major constraints to increase in production and profit were small farm size and low financial strength of the farmers.