IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL SERVICES AND TRAINING CENTRE (ASTC) PROJECT ON TOMATO FARMERS’ LIVELIHOOD IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL SERVICES AND TRAINING CENTRE (ASTC) PROJECT ON TOMATO FARMERS’ LIVELIHOOD IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract:

This study assessed the impact of Agricultural Services and Training Centre (ASTC) on tomato farmers‘ livelihood in Plateau State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used for this study. Firstly, a purposive sampling was used to select three Local Government Areas out of each three senatorial zones and three villages from each Local Government Areas while random and purposive sampling were used to select 206 participants in ASTC project and 206 non- participants respectively making a total sample size of 412 farmers in Plateau State. Structured questionnaire, interview schedule and focus group discussion were used for data collection while data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as multiple regression models, chow test model and paired t-statistical tools. The result revealed 90% and 77% males of the participants and the non-participants respectively while the females are 10% and 23% respectively. The findings of the study showed that participant farmers‘ level of awareness of the project was 54.4% while non- participants was 24.3% and level of participation by the participants in the project were quite high with 77.2%. Farmers‘ participation in ASTC project were influenced by marital status, education, house hold size, access to credit, farming experience and income which were statistically significant at 10%, 5% and 1% level. The chow test model analysis indicated a positive mean on output with F-cal value of 149.87, income F-cal value 3.952 and level of living with F-cal value of 24.24 on participant than non-participant farmers of ASTC project. The output, income and level of living difference were significant at 5% level of probability which means there were significant difference in output, income and level of living of farmers participating in ASTC tomato production. This implies that ASTC project contributed positively on the participants over that of non- participants. The study indicated untimely distribution of inputs, high costs of inputs and no access to water were some of the major constraints faced by participants‘ farmers in the project implementation. The non-participants‘ farmers claimed that they did not participate in ASTC project due to bad experiences, complacency and failure of the government in the past government agricultural intervention projects and lack of capital to meet up with the contributory commitment of individual participant. Based on these findings, it was concluded that ASTC project intervention had positive impact on tomato production and livelihood of participant farmers in the study area. The study recommended that the network of inputs provision and distribution be redesigned to include early and constant availability in the scheme, so as not to discourage the participants. Besides, subsidizing the net houses and irrigation materials is an open window for programme support by any interested non- governmental organization in the State.

IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL SERVICES AND TRAINING CENTRE (ASTC) PROJECT ON TOMATO FARMERS’ LIVELIHOOD IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

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