Unlocking the commercialization potentials of Moringa oleifera production in Southwestern Nigeria

Despite the importance of Moringa oleifera tree for food security at the smallholder farmers’ level, there is no consolidated socioeconomic information about the crop such as its contribution to household food security and income, and its production potential, commercialization and constraints. This study estimated the commercialization level and factors influencing the level of commercialization among the moringa farmers. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A double-hurdle model with quasi-maximum likelihood fractional response model was employed to analyze the participation and level of participation in commercialization among smallholder moringa farmers in Southwestern Nigeria. The commercialization level was captured by the household commercialization index (HCI) which was calculated as the ratio of the value of marketed moringa output to the value of moringa produced. The result revealed that half of the moringa farmers are still operating at the subsistence level with a large number of them at the low-medium level while the rest are high-level market participants. The participation in commercialization of moringa was influenced by age and square of household head age, marital status, level of education, farming experience in moringa farming, and access to market information. In the same vein, age and age square of household head, level of education, access to credit and extension services were factors influencing the level of commercialization. Thus, the study concluded that access to affordable credit, adequate access to extension services and prompt market information for small-scale farmers would not only improve their production capacity but also serve as a driver for market participation. The study recommends that for the enormous potential of the moringa tree species and its various products to be harnessed, stakeholders, NGOs, and policymakers should, through adequate extension services, widely promote and scale up the domestication of the miracle tree.