Impact Evaluation of Agricultural Infrastructure on Small Holder Farming Production in Delta State, Nigeria

Crop production in Nigeria is dominated by small holder farmers with less than 5 hectares. They make up about 70 percent of the farming population and produce the bulk of the food crops. However, with their immense contributions to the food needs of the country, they are still bedeviled with enormous challenges of inadequate agricultural infrastructures. This study examined the structure of the government agricultural infrastructure and estimated the impact of these infrastructures on the agricultural production of farmers in Delta State. Data were obtained from cross-sectional survey of farmers via the use of a well structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The analysis of the result on the structure of infrastructure using test of difference in proportion showed agricultural infrastructure has significantly improved the structure of rural social infrastructure. However, they have not improved the structure of agricultural infrastructure in Delta State on the general basis. The infrastructures so far provided have increased lake and pond (aquaculture) fishing, livestock number, improved health, farming techniques, produce evacuation and marketing. The recommendations made include: need to increase in agricultural infrastructural base especially in rural physical and institutional infrastructure, farmers' cooperative groups handling the distribution of agricultural infrastructure, feeder roads supplement with engine boats and articulated agricultural extension programmes. These will be necessary for increased agricultural production and the transformation of rural farmers from socio economic stress.