Keywords
Labour
Contribution,
Family
Production
How to Cite
Abstract
The study assessed the contribution of family labour to cowpea production operations in Lafia
L.G.A of Nasarawa State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to draw 80
respondents as sample size for the study. Data was obtained with the aid of questionnaires.
The data was analyzed using descriptive such as (frequency, percentages and ranking and
inferential (multiple regression) statistics. Results of the study showed that majority (55%) of
the respondents were married, 85% had one form of education or the other, the average
household size and years of farming experience were 8 persons and 17 years respectively.
Majority (75%) of the respondents had no contact with extension, and 68.8% did not belong to
any cooperative society. The results on the level of contribution of family labour to cowpea
production operations in the study area revealed that family labour was utilized more on
winnowing (72.42%), harvesting (70.72%), agrochemical application (66.65%), sowing of
seed 63.34%) and land clearing (54.94%). The mean family labour contribution was 59%. Year
of formal education and age of the respondents were the significant factors influencing family
labour contribution to cowpea production operations at 1% and 5% significant level
respectively. The major constraints to cowpea production in the area were high cost of
agrochemicals, limited access to credit and pest/disease infestation, effect of climate change,
low yield/output, among others. The study concluded that there was an average family labour
contribution to cowpea production operations in the area, and recommended that farmers and
household heads should optimize family labour contribution to cowpea production by
allocating tasks based on skills and availability and also the government should collaborate
with agricultural extension organizations to provide trainings, timely access to resources,
guidance to the farmers and also motivate participation through incentives.
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