Productivity of Farmland Values in Food Crop Production in the Natural Disasters Prone Areas of Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analyzed productivity of farmland values in food crop production in natural disasters prone areas of Imo State, Nigeria. The study specifically determined farmland values, productivity of food crop farmers by farmland values, and factors influencing food crop farmers productivity in the different farmland values. Data were collected with questionnaire from 280 proportionately and randomly selected food crop farmers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farmland value model, productivity model, and multiple regression techniques. Results showed that farmland suitability index ranged from < 0.499 to 0.948 with a mean of 0.350.Majority (72.1%) of the farmers cultivated on non-suitable farmlands, 22.9% of them cultivated on marginally suitable farmlands while few (5%) of the farmers cultivated on suitable farmlands, implying that majority of the farmlands cultivated for food crop production in the study area are not suitable. Food crop farmers’ productivity increases with suitability of farmland and the productivity of farmland increases from 1.35 to 2.25 and 3.14 as farmland moves from non-suitable to marginally suitable and suitable values respectively, thus making marginally suitable and suitable farmlands about 48% and 133% higher in farmland productivity than non-suitable farmlands. Farmland rent, quantity of fertilizer applied, quantity of organic manure applied, education level, quality of planting materials, and distance of farmland from farmer’s home have significant influence on marginally suitable farmlands productivity. Farm size, quantity of fertilizer applied, quantity of organic manure applied, farming experience, and quality of planting materials significantly influenced suitable farmlands productivity. Crop farmers cultivating non-suitable farmland should explore measures to improve the fertility of their farmlands or minimize wastage of production resources through reduction in the size of farmlands, cultivated.