SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE (QPM) FARMERS IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
Makarau, S. B.1Garba, A. O1; 2Kanai, E. T.; Wamagi, I. T.2 Haruna,S2and Nale, B. Y.2
1Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Kaduna State University (KASU)
2School of Agricultural Technology, NuhuBamali Polytechnic Zaria, SamaruKataf Campus
Email: zimaiyet@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
The study examined the socio-economic characteristics of farmers of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used to collect primary data from 380 respondents from four Agricultural Zones using structured questionnaire through survey. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that 67.63% of the respondents were males, 81.84% were married with a mean household size of 8 people, 63.40% were primarily farmers by occupation with 66.84% having a mean quality protein maize farming experience of 19 years. Majority (92.63%) had access to extension services, 53.16% accessed credit facility with 96.05% and 93.42% having relations and friends as their major sources of credit respectively. About 79.21% of the respondents had one form of formal education or the other with 78.80% of the respondents belonging to cooperative associations. The result also revealed that 60% of the respondents acquired their farmland through inheritance and cultivate an average farm size of 2.0 ha.98.95% and 92.11% sourced their labour from cooperative (Gaiya) and family respectively, while 68.42% were into mixed cropping system of production. All (100.00%) the respondents were aware of quality protein maize. About 59% obtained information on quality protein maize from extension agents.It was concluded that males dominate the QPM production and obtained information from extension service delivery system. The researchers recommended that extension officers should encouragethe farmers to form functional cooperative associations to access government credit facilities in order to meet up with the high demandof inputs and toincrease the cultivation of quality protein maizeas a cheap sources of protein.
Keywords: analysis, socio-economics, characteristics, quality protein, maize farmers
