COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINANTS OF OUTPUT PERFORMANCE OF COOPERATIVE AND NONCOOPERATIVE WOMEN CASSAVA FARMERS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study compared the determinants of output performance of cooperative and noncooperative women cassava farmers in Imo State, Nigeria using cross-sectional data collected from 60 cooperative and 60 noncooperative women farmers, and analysed with multiple regression analysis. The result of the multiple regression for socioeconomic characteristics of cooperative women farmers and output yielded an R2 value of 0.541which shows that the regression equation explains 54.1% of the total variation in the total output by cooperative women cassava farmers. The socioeconomic characteristics (age, extension contact, farming experience, level of education, credit accessed, household size, income, and farm size) were all significant and positively signed except age. The F-ratio which determines the overall significance of a regression is significant at the 1% level. The coefficient of multiple determinations (R2) was 0.463 for socioeconomic characteristics of noncooperative women farmers and output. This implies that 46.3% variability in output of noncooperative women cassava farmers was explained by the model. Farm size and household size were the significant variables and were positively signed. The F-ratio which determines the overall significance of a regression is significant at the 1% level. Stronger effort should be directed to the education of the non-cooperative farmers on the benefits of cooperative societies by the agricultural extension agencies.