ABSTRACT

This research study assessed the effect ofselected rural infrastructural facilities on output of some arable Crops in Kwara State Agricultural zone A, B, C, and D. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from respondents. Multistage sampling technique of 160 arable crop fanners of both males and females were randomly selected. Data for the study was analyzed with descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (multiple linear regression analysis and analysis of variance). Results showed that there were more male arable crop farmers than females. The mean age ofthe farmers was 47years and 91.2% were married with mean household size of 7 persons. About 8.8% had Tertiary Education while 13.1% had non-formal education. Majority ofthe respondents were Muslims and most of the respondents had not less than 10 years of farming experience. The study further revealed that most ofthe available rural infrastructures were obsolete and irrigation facilities were less available in the study area. Specifically, zone A, B, C and D had no functioning railway facilities. In terms ofrural physical infrastructure utilization, lorry/car (53.1%) was mostly used in transporting farm produce. Generally,, as commonly applicable to zone A, B, C and D, rural institutional and social infrastructures’ availability, utilization and functionality were higher than rural physical infrastructures. The multiple regression estimates of the effect of rural infrastructural facilities on crop output indicated that rural social, institutional and physical infrastructures had positive and significant relationship with crop output. The result on the difference in the utilization ofrural physical, institutional and social infrastructures in the agricultural zones of Kwara state, revealed that there was a significant difference in the utilization of rural infrastructures across the four agricultural zones at p

<0.01. Absence of useful rural infrastructures such as tractors, harvester were ranked 1st, which implies that this constraint was the main factor discouraging arable crop farmers in effectively engaging in arable crop farming practices. Also, high cost of rural infrastructures may have increased the cost of production of the arable crop farmers in the study area; hence the profitability may be affected at the end of the production year. The study therefore recommends that government at different levels in tire state should ensure rehabilitation and maintenance of obsolete rural infrastructures so as to avoid decay of such rural infrastructures and prevent against rural-urban migration in the state. Individual farmers should strive to acquire large hectares of land for farming activities at a subsidized rate so as to enhance arable crop production, hence promoting food security in Kwara state>