DETERMINANTS OF CASSAVA COMMERCIALIZATION IN SELECTED STATES OF THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA: RESULTS FROM CASSAVA COMMERCIALIZATION INDEX (CCI)
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Abstract
This study examines the determinants of cassava commercialization among smallholder farmers in the Niger Delta region, Nigeria. Despite Nigeria's position as the world’s largest cassava producer, the commercialization of cassava remains limited in states such as Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Edo States. This study applies the Cassava Commercialization Index (CCI) to quantify commercialization levels and assess the impact of key socio-economic and production factors. Data was collected using structured questionnaire, administered to 290 farmers selected from Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Edo States through random sampling. From the results, the distribution of cassava farmers according to their commercialization levels were categorized into ranges (25-35%, 36-46%, etc.), with the peak distribution within the 58-68% commercialization range, with approximately 36.9% of farmers. This suggests that a substantial proportion of farmers are moderately commercialized, selling more than half of their cassava products. However, relatively few farmers exceed an 80% commercialization rate, indicating a limit to high commercialization levels among farmers in the study area, potentially due to barriers such as market access, production costs, or lack of processing facilities. The results further averred that a large portion of the sample (60.9%) reported moderate levels of commercialization between 58-68%. On the contrary, factors such as age and education level exhibited minimal impact on commercialization rates. The study concludes with policy recommendations such as, facilitating access to market, promoting technology adoption, and providing input support to farmers, thereby transform cassava from a mere subsistence crop to a viable commercial product in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria.
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