ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF GOMBE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ON RESOURCE USE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FARMERS IN BAUCHI STATE

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF GOMBE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ON RESOURCE USE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FARMERS IN BAUCHI STATE

Abstract:

Increased agricultural productivity is one of the prerequisites of economic progress, especially in the developing countries where a large proportion of the population depends largely on primary production. One of the ways for increasing agricultural productivity is to increase the level of farm resources and to make efficient use of the resources committed to the farm sector. This has resulted in the establishment of the various agricultural development projects in Nigeria. This study was, therefore, designed to evaluate the impact of the Gombe Agricultural Development Project on resource use and productivity of farmers. The objectives of this study were to describe and compare the structure and organisation of farms in the two areas, to compare the extent of labour employment and productivity in the two areas and to estimate and compare returns to scale between the two areas. The analytical tool used in the study were the farm budget and production function models. The data necessary for the analysis were obtained through a survey of 70 farmers comprising 35 in the project and 35 outside the project area. Secondary data were obtained from iv the farm management survey (agronomic) data of the Evaluation Unit of the project. The results of the study indicated that more family labour input was utilized in the non-project area than in the project area, while more hired labour was utilized in the project are. More quantities of fertilizer, improved seeds and bullock labour were utilized in the project area than in the non-project area. The results of the study also indicated higher gross returns, net returns and labour productivity in the project area than in the non-project area. The suits of the production function analysis indicated that the independent variables, namely farm size, family sbour, hired labour and non-durable capital reasonably explain the variability in the total value of output earned frc farms. Land and family labour have the highest elasticities in the project and non-project areas respectively. Land also has the highest marginal value of product (MVP) in the project area. In ie non-project area family labour and non-durable capital have the highest MVP. The results of the production function analysis in the project and nonproject areas indicated decreasing and constant returns to scale respectively. V The results of the study have indicated some increases in resource use end productivity through the piementation of the project. Therefore such programmes should be planned and implemented to enhance agricultural production. One of the implications of the study is the need to educate the farmers on the type, quantity and time of fertilizer application. Since fertilizer contributes greatly to raising production, its supply should be made available to the farmers at the right time. Other improved inputs such as seed dressing chemicals, varieties of seeds, pesticides etc. should be made available to farmers

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF GOMBE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ON RESOURCE USE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FARMERS IN BAUCHI STATE

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