Economics of Processing Cassava into Garri And Pellets in Kogi State, Nigeria

Economics of Processing Cassava into Garri And Pellets in Kogi State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the economics of cassava processing into garri and pellets in Kogi State.

Data were collected from 100 cassava processors (22 males and 78 females) and analysed to describe socio-economic characteristics, identify and describe various technologies used in cassava processing, ascertain gender roles.

Estimate the influence of socio-economic characteristics on income of processors, determine profitability and identify constraints militating against the processors of cassava in the study area.

Multi- stage random sampling techniques were employed in the selection of local government areas, communities and processors on who structured questionnaires were administered.

Descriptive statistics, gross margin, rate of return on investment and multiple regressions were used for analysis.

Results shows that majority of the processing fell within the middle age group (31 – 50 years) with an average years of processing experience of 22 years; mostly women with an average of 8 persons per household and 7 years of schooling.

Traditional technologies were employed by the cassava processors with low level of men’s involvement relative to high involvement of women in cassava processing activities. Six out of nine explanatory variables were significantly related to income.

These include; age, gender, education, experience, access to credit and number of labourers in the cassava processing enterprise.

Processing cassava into garri and pellets were profitable, although processing cassava into garri was more profitable with gross margin of 22,700 and profitable index (PI) of 0.04 than pellets with gross margin of 13,100 with profitable index (PI) of 0.33.

The major constraints facing the cassava processors in the study area include: poor storage facilities, high cost of processing inputs, poor road network for the transportation, bulkiness of fresh tubers, unstable weather and shortage of labour.

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Table Of Contents

Title Page       i

Certification             ii

Dedication                  iii

Acknowledgement             iv

Table of Contents             v

List of Tables        vii

List of Figures           viii

Abstract                ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 

• Background Information 1
• Problem Statement 4
• Objectives of the Study 6
• Hypotheses 6
• Justification of the Study 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 

• Importance of Processing 8
• Cassava products 10
• Cassava utilization 12
• Cassava processing techniques 13
• Gender roles in cassava processing 18
• Constraints in cassava processing 20
• Theoretical framework 22
• Review of empirical studies 24
• Analytical framework 28

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 

• Study Area 32
• Sampling Procedure 33
• Data Collection 33
• Data Analysis 34
  • Likert Rating Scale Technique 34
  • Gross Margin Analysis 34
  • Multiple Regression Model 36
  • Student t-test 37

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

• Socio-Economic Characteristics of the Processors 38
• Technologies in Cassava Processing 42
• Gender Roles/Involvement in Cassava Processing 47
• Socioeconomic Characteristics Influencing Income of the Processors 51
• Profitability of Cassava Processing into Gari and Pellet 54
• Major Constraints Militating against Cassava Processors 57
• Testing of Hypotheses 60

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

• Summary 62
• Conclusion 64
• Recommendations 65

REFERENCES        67

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Introduction

Background Of Study

The food problems in Nigeria and other developing countries can be reduced or even eliminated by intensifying agricultural production (Asiedu, 1989).

It is based on this that emphasis of agricultural research for many years has been mainly on increased food production.

One of the crops where considerable increased production level has been noticed is cassava.

Nigeria is the world’s largest producer with the total production of 38 Million tonnes in 2005 (Food and Agricultural Organization, 2006).

The major area where the crop is grown extends from the south coast to the middle belt (Ogbe, Dixon and Alabi, 2003).

By zone, the North Central produces about 7 million tonnes of cassava a year thus ranking first on the per capita basis of 0.72 tonnes/person in 2002 (PCU, 2003).

Within the zone Benue and Kogi are the largest producers of cassava in the country (IITA, 2004).

Cassava was introduced m the republic of Congo from South – America about 400 years back (Nweke, 2004) and it forms the staple part of the diet in many of the African countries.

Since its introduction, it has spread through Sub-Saharan African to become the dominant staples in the diet of the people.

Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, Thailand and Zaire are the biggest producers, each producing over 10 million tones and together accounting for over 63 percent of World’s production (CBN, 2004).

Among the root tuber crops, it ranks first accounting for about 55 percent in the Sub- Saharan African (Hahn and Keyser, 1995).

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References