Food Security and Emerging Innovations in Oil Palm Production in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Given its enormous yield per hectare and high productivity cycle, Oil palm is considered as a stabilizing crop to global food security especially in developing countries. However, in recent years, the domestic consumption of palm oil in West Africa including Nigeria has increased more rapidly than its production with the vast majority of the farmers working at near subsistence level and employing crude production and processing techniques. This study therefore appraised the impact of emerging innovations on oil palm production in Osun state, Nigeria. Specifically, the research examined the emerging innovations in oil palm production, the impact of such innovations on the level of the farmer’s output and the factors affecting farmers’ acceptability of innovations. A three stage random sampling technique was used to collect data from 100 oil palm farmers using a well structured questionnaire out of which 90 was found useful for the study. Descriptive statistics, T test analysis and the logistic regression model were the analytical tools employed for the study. The result of the analyses showed that there are some emerging innovations in oil palm production in the study area; however, the indigenous technologies still dominates. Farmers who employed modern technologies were found to have higher output when compared to those of indigenous technologies. Farmers’ age and level of education were identified as the major factors affecting the acceptability of innovation in the study area. It is therefore recommended that the government should invest more on adult education and there should be increased awareness on the need to embrace modern technologies and innovations for the transformation of the oil palm industry in the country and consequently raise farmers’ standard of living. Younger people should also be encouraged to go into oil palm production.