Citation:
S.O. Nkakini, M.J. Ayotamuno, S.O.T. Ogaji and S.D. Probert, Farm mechanization leading to more effective energy-utilizations for cassava and yam cultivations in Rivers State, Nigeria, Applied Energy, Volume 83, Issue 12, December 2006, Pages 1317-1325.
Abstract:
Surveys have been conducted, under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs), in the 23 local-government areas
of the Rivers State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire, personal visits to
farms and interactions with information repositories were used. The quantities
of energy consumed by tractors used in activities associated with the growing of
cassava and yam crops in those areas were compared with traditional operations,
using just manual labour. Within the period of 1986–2004, the total energy
utilizations in the production of these crops, in the 23 local government areas,
were 2738.87 and 33.5 MJ for tractor-power and traditional-manual operations,
respectively. The tractorization intensity (TI) dropped from 0.352 hp/ha in 1986
to 0.345 hp/ha in 2004. This result was below the presently advocated 0.5 hp/ha
for agricultural operations in order to increase crop production. This study
identified the causes of this shortfall and recommended, at least for the short-
term future, that farm industrialization of all sectors should be subsidize
