ANALYSIS OF IMPROVED CASSAVA VARIETIES' CULTIVATION AND DOWNSIDE RISK EXPOSURE AMONG FARMERS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

This study examined the impact of improved cassava varieties' cultivation and downside risk exposure among farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria. The multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 154 respondents for the study. The analytical tools employed are descriptive statistics and Endogenous Switching Regression (ESR) model. The empirical findings revealed that the respondents who were adopters and non-adopters were in their active ages, married, with some level of formal education and mainly male. The results of the Endogenous Switching Regression model revealed that years of formal education, extension agent visit, the quantity of herbicide used, quantity of hired labour, the quantity of fertilizer used and awareness of the importance of improved cassava varieties were positive and significant in determining the adoption of improved cassava varieties. Adoption of improved cassava varieties reduced the downside risk exposure (probability of crop failure) among farmers. Adoption of improved cassava varieties can reduce the downside risk exposure (likelihood of crop failure) among farmers. Therefore, the study recommended that extension agents should be supported by both government and non-governmental organizations to visit the farmers regularly and orientate them about inputs combination that can therefore, increase the farm output and reduce the probability of crop failure.