Effects of rural infrastructure on cassava commercialization in Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Generically, infrastructure is critical to any economic development. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effect of rural infrastructure (with emphasis on road and market facilities) on commercialization of cassava in Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. It examined the conditions of rural infrastructure facilities that the cassava farmers have access to, analyzed the level of commercialization among cassava farmers, and determined the relationship between rural infrastructure and cassava commercialization among the farmers. METHODS: Primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select cassava farmers. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, percentage etc), infrastructural index, household commercialization index, and Tobit regression model, were used to analyze the data collected. RESULTS: Majority of the cassava farmers were males (70.50%), married (82.73 %), household size (6±3 persons), educated (93.53%) relatively young and agile (43.6±10.2 years). Also, mean farm size was of 7.1ha. ±9.8ha, farming experience was 13.3±8.8 years and (80.52%) were primarily employed in farming. Most farmers were producing at subsistence level and are yet to reach full cassava commercialization level. CONCLUSION: Inadequate provision of rural infrastructure hindered transformation of cassava farmers’ level of production from subsistence level to commercialization level in the study area.