Determinants of Gender Productivity among Small- Holder Cocoyam Farmers’ in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria

The study used the log-linear model derived from the Cobb-Douglas functional form for explaining determinants of productivity among male and female cocoyam farmers in Nsukka Agricultural Zone of Enugu State. The study involved a multi-stage random sampling technique of 120 farmers, consisting of 60 males and 60 females. For the male farmers, the coefficients for capital, cocoyam setts, labour and education were directly related to productivity and significant at 5% level. The coefficients for age and farm size were negative and significant at 5%level. The coefficients for fertilizer, manure, and extension contact were positive but not significant. The coefficients for household size and farming experience were negative but not significant. For the female farmers, all the coefficients were highly significant at 1% level except manure. The coefficients for capital, cocoyam setts, fertilizer, labour, household size, education, farming experience and number of extension contacts were directly related to productivity. The coefficients for farm size and age were negatively related to productivity. The results calls for policies aimed at increasing capital inputs and planting materials for cocoyam production. Encouraging the youths to cultivate cocoyam and accessibility to productive resources targeted at the small scale cocoyam enterprise. Given the inverse productivity-farm size relationship in agriculture, what is needed for increased productivity in cocoyam production is land redistribution supported by technical and financial assistance for farmers. There is need, also, for policies aimed at encouraging the experienced cocoyam farmers to remain in production, increase their extension contacts and increased use of fertilizer.