Poverty and Agricultural Productivity in Oyo West Local Government Area of Oyo State
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to examine how poverty is affecting agricultural productivity while the specific objectives are:
- To examine the extent at which the level of poverty affect agricultural productivity.
- To identify the impact of increasing in productivities in relation to the standard of living of the people.
- To examine the effect of government policy on agricultural production.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The role of agriculture in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized. Agriculture is a source of food for consumption by man, food for animals and raw materials for the industries in Nigeria. Agriculture contributes to the growth of the economy and also provides employment opportunities for the teaming population and eradicates poverty in the economy.
Agriculture has been the backbone of the economy in Nigeria. In terms of employment, agriculture is by far the most the most important sector of Nigeria’s economy, engaging about 70% of the labour force. Agriculture also play a significant role in the economic development, with demand for food increasing in a daily basis due to increase in population of people in Nigeria, agriculture sector in Nigeria ensure food security in the country for the increasing population.
Ujeke (2003) put it that before and immediately after independence in 1960, agriculture contributed up to 64% to the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Also, Tombofa (2004), states that the state of agriculture is of paramount importance to the development process. He pointed out that agriculture provides the basis for the world’s great civilization in the past and the increase in agricultural productivity in Nigeria laid the basis for, and sustained the first industrial revolution in Nigeria. The agriculture sector is known to employ over 75% of labour force in developing countries and provide the purchasing power over industrial goods.
Rostow (1960) as cited in tamuno (1996), argued that the process of economic development, nations pass through several stages namely; traditional stage, the precondition for takeoff, the takeoff stage, drive to maturity and high mass consumption stage. Agriculture played crucial roles in the first three stages before a country can experience development.
Again, Todaro and smith (2003) put it that if development is to take place and become self-sustaining; it will have to include the rural area in general and the agricultural sector in particular. “Traditionally, the role of agriculture in economic development has been a passive and supportive”. Based on the historical experience of western countries, economic development was seen as requiring a rapid structural transformation of the economic focused on agricultural activities to a more complex, modern, industrial and service society. As a result, agriculture’s primary role is to provide food and man power to the expanding industrial economy.
CONCEPT OF POVERTY
The issues of poverty has been a main concerns to many nations, especially the developing countries, poverty is pervasive throughout the country. While poverty is more prevalent in rural areas, it has become a significant problem in urban areas in Nigeria.
The World Bank (2006) noted that conditions could be described as poor if per capital income or consumption of individual is below us $370 or it is below us $275 at any period of time.
Eguuatu (2008) argued that over 500million of the world’s population lives under very poor condition but they are economic active. They lack access to basic necessities of life, like food, shelter and primary care. They earn their livelihoods by being self developed as micro entrepreneurs or by working in micro enterprises. These set of people has no hope for expansion of their enterprises because of inability or incapability of accessing banks for credit. In Nigeria poverty has increased significantly between 1980 and 2000 the population in extreme poverty rose from 6percent (6%) to 49percent (49%), with a nation population of around 140million, these proportion implies that 109million Nigerians remain below the poverty line and 30million are extremely poor (AREC 2009).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHOD
INTRODUCTION
This study is primarily designed to examine how poverty is affecting agricultural productivity in Oyo West local government, Oyo state. In carrying out this research work, information and data were obtained through questionnaire and personal interview and the result were analyzed statistically.
This study is described under the following sub-topic:
- Research design
- Population of the study
- Sample and sampling techniques
- Research instrument
- Validity and reliability
- Method of data collection
- Procedure for data collection
RESEARCH DESIGN
This research work adopted the descriptive survey design. Descriptive survey design establishes the relationship between the two variables that the relationship between dependent and independent variable. Agricultural productivity and poverty.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter focuses on the presentation, analysis and discussion of data collected. The chapter arranged as follows:
Data presentation
Data analysis and discussion
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY
The research exercise was carried out purposely to examine poverty as constraint to agricultural productivity in Oyo west local government. Appropriate data were collected and analyzed. The salient aspects of the result is outlined below. The characteristics of farmers in the study area shows that 71% of the respondents prefer crude implement to modern implement because many of them lack money to buy implements.
On the issue of problems militating against the increase in Agricultural productivity the problem range from high poverty rate, lack of money, land ownership system of the study area and government policies.
CONCLUSION
The research shows that agriculture is an important work in the society. Analysis of the data in the earlier chapter four indicate that agriculture is faced with some proffered or provided so as to make agricultural productivity increase, effective and efficient.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The standard of living of the farmers and people in the society will be better if all obstacles militating against increase in agricultural productivity are removed.
In the first instance, the populace of the study area should be given right to own land for agricultural purposes to expand their farm area with ease.
There is great need for government to formulate and implement policies aimed at increasing agricultural productivity.
Government should give subsides to farm input by the supplying of modern implements, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides e.t.c to improve agricultural productivity.
There should be financial incentives to commercial farmers to increase their productivity.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Apart form time frame, the major limitation to the research is the inability of the researcher to cover the whole villages of Oyo west local government.
SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDIES
Future researchers will do better if this research work is studied carefully with great attention to the following suggestions
The researchers should use more questionnaires to reach more people on their opinion on the effect of poverty on agricultural productivity.
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