ABSTRACT

The study was designed to ascertain smallholder agribusiness production structure, market access and rural roads in Abia State. It was aimed to examine the socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder agribusiness operators. The study further determine the most Important factors that affect the investors farm output and level of market access of the selected crop enterprises. A random sample of 200 respondents was purposefully taken from the combination of the selected crops enterprises covering 40 from each of the enterprises. Structured questionnaire were administrated to be the chosen respondents. Data collected were analyzed using statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, multiple and profit regression analyses. The result from the data analyzed show that more males in the state (6 1%) are smallholder agribusiness investors of the above selected crops enterprises compared with their female counterparts (39%), The result further indicate that (73%) of the investors are married. Also majority of the investors (46%) fall within the age bracket of' 3 I to 40 years. The result from the information on agribusiness production structure using investors' farm size show that cocoa had 8% as the highest. Result from the nature of labour used among investors revealed that cocoa had the highest in hired labour while maize mostly make use of farm labour and cassava in cooperative labour. From the estimated market access shows that size of returns from sales, ownership of mobile assets, total sales, level of education, membership of market association, access to external credit have significantly and positively influenced the level of investors market access while size of returns from sales, transportation cost are negatively significant. Result of the level of oil palm investors farm output reveal that number of dependents and years of experience were positively significant while household size, cost of fertilizer usage, cultivated land, amount of fixed assets are negatively significant. Furthermore, years of experience and hectares cultivated land were significant while cost of fertilizer usage and total sales were negatively significant to cocoa investors CFOI) Output, similarly, years of' experience had a positive influence to cassava investors CEOl) output while cost planting materials were negatively significant. Finally, years oI experience, cultivated land, amount of fixed access, transportation cost were positively significant to yarn investors output. Following the findings of this work, it is therefore recommended that the non-government and governmental organizations should enhance the motor ability and accessibility of the rural roads. Also, releasing of credits and other input facilities on time enhanced agricultural extension programmes activities and improved educational level of the agribusiness investors in the study area is highly recommended.