Socio-economic analysis of cassava-based cropping system in Rivers State, Nigeria.

An analysis of the Socio-economic factors influencing the value of the outputs of the cassava mixture farming in Rivers State was carried out. Thirty – six farmers were randomly selected from each stratum of the five majorcassava crop mixtures, making a total sample size of180 farmers studied. The cassava crop mixtures studied are cassava/maize, cassava/melon, cassava/yam, cassava/maize/melon and cassava/maize/yam. The collected data were analyzed using multiple regression models. Results of T-values showed that farming experience (3.739), education level of farmers (7.2.3), household size (7.459) and extension workers’ visits (1.661) were socio-economic variables which positively and significantly influenced the output of cassava growing farmers. Farming age (-0.433) was inversely related to output. Improvement in the extension services, more capacity building of the farmers, credit incentives and skill acquisition would go a long wayto increasing the level of cassava farming output in the area