Yakasai (2010) identified the
constraints militating against cassava production in Kuje Area Council Federal Capital Territory, Abuja as lack of capital,
lack of machine, marketing problems, storage, processing and transportation. The report showed that majority of
the respondent 87% reported lack of capital was a major problem in the
production of cassava, 54% of the respondent also claimed that transportation
was the major limiting factor in the production of cassava, while 45% and 41%
of the respondents indicated that marketing of the product and lack of
machinery was a serious problem in the production of cassava in the production
area. Also 20% and 47% of the respondents reported processing of product and labour
cost respectively
was a limiting factor in the production area. These were
reported to the reason for poor output and low areas under cultivation of the crop
cassava.
Olomola, (2007) observed that the
yield of 12 to 15 tonnes per hectare is indicative of the yields experienced in
the south-eastern region of Nigeria as per the case study. This region, he
noted is one of the most productive in the country with respect to cassava. In
contrast, regional yields in countries such as India, Laos, Thailand and
Barbados have been estimated as high as 25 to 40 tonnes/ha. Obviously,
Nigeria’s highest productivity yields fall short of these rates and this
situation is due to a number of factors including small scale farming (on plots
that are usually less than 1hectare), manual operation, little or no use of
fertilizers and limited knowledge in the use of high yield roots to name a few.
Farming at this level makes it difficult to achieve scale economies and,
furthermore, in increasing supply responsively to market needs (which at the
present time is geared towards garri consumption as food).
He further opined that production
constraints in the industry is highly
related to cost of hiring labour and the tedium encountered in manual cultivation
particularly during land preparation with local implements seem to discourage
investment in production.
Transportation of fresh products from
the farm to a processing site is costly and is a major contributor to the cost
of the raw materials for the processor. If farmers could harvest these crops
and process them into stable commodities that could be stored for several
months without fear of spoilage, they would earn higher prices during the
periods of scarcity. There are constraints to adoption in rural farming communities
(Nweke et al., 2002; Teklewold et al., 2006).
In some instances, farmers reject some
of modern technology due to their cultural background and inhibitions, perhaps
due to illiteracy and religious beliefs. Nevertheless, credit constraint has
been singled out as a major factor militating against adoption of modern cassava
production techniques (Nweke et al., 2002). The technologies are herbicides
application, use of hybrid cassava stake, use of insecticides, use of herbicides,
use of inorganic fertilizer, use of tractor, appropriate spacing, planting date
and tillage practices. The adoption of modern cassava production technologies is
an important route out of poverty for many in the developing world including
Nigeria because of the major role cassava play in food security (Teklewold et
al., 2006). Many studies have noted poor technology adoption in cassava
production (Barham and Boucher, 1994; Ogboso, 2005).
According to Mohammed, Apata, Peter and
Fidelis, (2010) The observed level of profitability is however due largely to
lack of variable market for , lack of access to credit facilities as well as
the use of local stem varieties for its propagation.