Factors Affecting Adoption Of Hand Pollination Technique By Cocoa Farmers In Ondo State Of Nigeria

Factors Affecting Adoption Of Hand Pollination Technique By Cocoa Farmers In Ondo State Of Nigeria

Chapiter 1

Introduction

1.1 The Study’s History

Theobroma cacao L (Sterculiaceae), also known as the “food of the gods,” is a significant economic tropical tree whose origin is thought to be in several native areas of the tropical rainforest of equatorial America or Upper Amazon (Allen and Lass, 1983; Motamayor et al., 2002; Bailey et al., 2005). Cocoa thrives profitably between latitudes 20oN and 20oS of the equator. The majority of the crop, however, is grown between latitudes 10oN and 10oS (Anim-Kwapong et al., 2002).

After coffee and sugar, cocoa is the third-most important agricultural export product in the world. For the many nations that control production, cocoa is a significant source of foreign cash. In terms of the size of crop production globally, it ranks among other important bean and nut commodities in many tropical nations (World Wildlife Fund, 2006; World Cocoa Foundation, 2010). A source of income for an estimated 40–50 million people globally, including five million farmers, cocoa is grown on more than 7.5 million hectares (World Cocoa Foundation, 2010). Over 90% of the cocoa consumed worldwide is produced by smallholder farmers, whose farms are less than ten hectares (ha) in size, and who use little to no agrochemicals and fertilizers (International Cocoa Organization, 2005; 2010).

For many tropical nations, cocoa is a valuable economic resource (Browna et al., 2007; Lanaud et al., 2009). Asamoah and Baah (2003) and Frimpong et al. (2007) estimate that over 80,000 smallholder farm families work in the cocoa industry alone, which accounts for 19% of rural households and provides 70% to 100% of smallholder farmers’ yearly household incomes (Breisinger et al., 2008). According to Breisinger et al. (2008), Ghana’s agricultural GDP ascribed to cocoa climbed from 13.7 percent in 2000–2004 to 18.9 percent in 2005–2006. The environment must be examined more closely in order to improve the aspects of the system that have a beneficial effect on cocoa yields if this astonishing boost in output is to be sustained (Gockowski, 2007). Seventy percent of the world’s cocoa is farmed in this sub-region (World Cocoa Foundation, 2010), and its production has been recorded in agricultural records since 1556 (Johns, 1999), making West Africa the epicenter of cocoa farming for many years.

In contrast to other agricultural endeavors, cocoa production has contributed significantly to the economic expansion and development of various West African nations (Duguma et al., 2001). After Ivory Coast, Ghana is the second-largest producer of cocoa (ICCO, 2007; Filou and Kenny, 2009). Approximately 72% of the world’s cocoa production is produced by the two nations collectively (Vigneri, 2007).

1.2 Problem formulation

The scientific study of plant-pollinator interactions, or pollination ecology, takes into account factors such as individual species’ distribution patterns, life histories, floral phenology, foraging energies, and behavior, as well as the structure and operation of natural systems at the level of populations, communities, and ecosystems. The management of pollination systems is still relatively new and unproven, despite the critical ecological role that pollinators play (Kearns et al., 1998; Kearns and Inouye, 1997). This is relevant to cocoa because of its distinctive characteristics, such as its cauliflory and pollination system, which are shared by just a small number of tropical plants (Bos et al., 2007). The synchronization between the pollinator population cycle, the cocoa tree’s floral phenology, and the efficacy of pollination is a critical problem in cocoa pollination ecology (Young, 1983).

The entomophilous nature of cocoa and its dependence on cross-pollination have been demonstrated by numerous researchers over the years (Posnette, 1950; Entwistle, 1972; Kaufman, 1975; Cilas, 1987; Klein et al., 2008; Groeneveld et al., 2010). The responsible insects are midges (Forcipomyia spp.) of the family Ceratopogonidae. Additionally, Winder and Silva (1972) hypothesized that one external limiting factor governing cocoa fruit set was insect pollination. Since 1925, pollination of the cocoa plant has drawn attention [5]; nevertheless, little is known about the pollination processes that result in the development of the fruits, which in turn increase the output of the tree [6]. Over 90% of the blooms produced by cocoa trees, according to Stephenson (1981) and Bos et al. (2007), fall after opening. As a result, only 10% of the total blooms produced are successful in pollinating 5. Even the actions of midges on the cocoa crop contribute to this low success rate. The study will then look at the variables influencing the use of hand pollination by cocoa growers in Nigeria’s Ondo state.

1.3 Study’s objective

This study’s goal is to investigate the variables influencing cocoa producers’ adoption of the hand pollination technique in Nigeria’s Ondo state. Particulars of the study

Analyze the numerous pollination methods that farmers in ondo state use.

find out how crucial hand pollination is to the state of ondo’s cocoa growers.

Analyze the reasons why farmers in ondo state prefer hand pollination to alternative types of pollination.

importance of the research

Given the significance of cocoa to the global economy, the abundance of information about its cultivation is not surprising. However, because it offers details on the pollination methods employed by farmers and the significance of hand pollination, this study will add to the body of literature.

Study premise

The research premise is:

HO: There aren’t any discernible differences among the elements influencing the adoption of hand pollination.

H1: The adoption of hand pollination is significantly impacted by many circumstances.

Study’s Purpose and Limitations

The focus of the study is on determining what influences Ondo state’s adoption of hand pollination. Additionally, only small-scale farmers in the state are included in the case study. The investigation was constrained by its limited time and budget.

Basic terminology explained

Productivity is a term used in this study to define the pace of ecosystem production and is a crucial functional characteristic for both natural and agricultural ecosystems.

Transferring pollen to a stigma, ovule, flower, or plant to enable fertilization is known as pollination.

Soil degradation is the loss in soil quality brought on by incorrect management or use, typically for agricultural, industrial, or urban uses.

Arrangement of the study

There are five chapters in the study. The study is introduced in this chapter, which serves as its opening chapter. A review of the relevant literature is presented in Chapter 2. The research methodology is presented in Chapter 3; the data analysis, interpretation, and discussion of the findings are presented in Chapter 4. An overview of the conclusions and suggestions is provided in chapter five.