Factors influencing income generating potentials amongst cashew farmers in Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Abstract

The study identified the income generating potentials of cashew fruits and attitude of farmers towards adding value to cashew in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, Nigeria. A structured interview schedule was designed to elicit information on selected personal characteristics, level of income generated from cashew fruits, sources of information, farming activities and attitude towards processing of cashew fruits for income generation in the study area. Simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred and twenty farmers from a list of six hundred farmers in the study area. A significant relationship exists between the level of income generated from cashew fruits and education (X2 =9.700; P=<0.05) There was no significant relationship between the level of income generated from cashew fruits and the attitude of respondents towards adding value to cashew fruits for income generation (r=0.102, P>0.05). In conclusion, farmers generate income from raw fruits only and have negative disposition towards adding value to cashew fruits for income generation. It is therefore recommended that cashew fruit farmers be educated on processing potentials of cashew fruits to enhance their income and improve their standard of living in the study area.

Keywords: Income; Cashew; Potentials; Farmers; Nigeria

Moor Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 7 (1&2) 2006 pp. 35-41