CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background to the study

The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project for the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND)

directly supports Nigeria's agricultural policy and the Strategic Framework for Youth

Employment and Job Creation. This Strategic Framework addresses the large and growing

number of restless unemployed youth, especially in rural areas. Nigeria's highest potential for

decent job creation in agriculture is in the south, including the Niger Delta, where small

agribusinesses have demonstrated remarkable success under the now concluded, IFAD-financed

Community Based Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP). Under CBNRMP

youth engaged in agriculture based on high market demand, untapped opportunities to produce

and market profitable commodities, and high private sector interest in sectorial development.

The LIFE-ND project will develop the supply of skilled youth labour using the incubator

model piloted by CBNRMP where successful rural agribusinesses were facilitated to mentor

neighboring youth to produce greater volumes, leading to higher value enterprises and

community incomes, and jobs for the youth. The project will also address the pronounced gender

gap in access by women to land, productive assets, technology, finance, and markets. This design

of LIFE-ND further builds on the successes of IFAD-assisted Value Chain Development Project

(VCDP) that continues to create sustainable stakeholders' platforms which link rural

smallholders to private off-takers; as well as, the IFAD-assisted Rural Finance Institution

Building Project (RUFIN) that developed rural finance institutions and promoted local level

savings to raise investment funds.

1
The significant role agriculture plays in sustainable development of any nation, through

decimating hunger by ensuring availability of food (at all time), cannot be overemphasized

(Ogidi,2016). Demand for food is expected to continue to grow as a result of or population

growths, rising incomes, changes in the nature of consumers' work and

taste( Ogidi,2016;Obstetal,2007). This calls for strategy on how to meet the demand for teeming

population, and satisfy the wants arising from increasing income of the consumers. The strategy,

according to Stanton (2000), must address smallholder agricultural producers and components

that boost their ability of respond effectively to market incentives, by strengthening the prices

idea of the produce income, with a view to assisting agricultural producers to overcome

problems of market imperfection, thereby empowering them to be competitive participants in the

market system(Tijanietal,2017). Through the LIFE-ND Project, a robust production to marketing

system that reduces food wastage and increase farm earnings for rural families is ensured.

Different targeting strategies in promotion of enterprises responsive to women’s livelihoods such

as production, processing and marketing of vegetables, fish, poultry, and honey, for income,

household food security and nutrition, time venue and environment friendly events for women’s

participation, provision of leadership positions for women in commodity associations, and 30

percent of women in the project management team. In recent years, the International Fund for

Agricultural Development (IFAD) has increasingly strengthened its focus on achieving and

measuring results. The initiative reflects are cognition of IFAD’s responsibility to generate

evidence of the success of IFAD-supported projects so as to learn lessons for the benefit of future

projects. All these are core indicators that prompt the researcher in this paper to assess the level

of competence and knowledge of the beneficiaries in the selected enterprise in Ondo State.

2
1.2 Statement of the Problem

From the perspective of sustainable agri-business growth and development in Nigeria,

proper identification of the constraints to agricultural sector is highly imperative, with a view to

evolving appropriate policy strategies for promoting accelerated investment in the agribusiness

sector (Oni,2013). This scheme succeeded to an extent in ensuring that inputs reached some

farmers, but equally suffered some setbacks, as the inputs could not get delivered to all the

identified targets (FMARD, 2016). For agricultural sector to be market competitive, government

established a number of regulator y agencies, whose sole objective is to standardize and regulate

all products in Nigeria, agricultural produce and products inclusive. Despite of these enormous

efforts by the government, the linkage of agricultural sector to the industry remains very weak.

Thus,stressing the need for strong policy(ies) to ginger agribusiness development as a

diversification strategy

Life-ND promotes agribusiness development by adopting the Igbo model of trading

where apprentice are trained until such an individual becomes good in the art of such businesses.

In this project there are incubators, who represent the teachers and the incubates, who are the

students, who are like the students. The incubators are given resources (production inputs) to

train the incubators for a period of time in any of the following agricultural enterprises: fisheries,

piggeries, cassava, poultry and cocoa production. Therefore the knowledge level of the

incubators who are given the opportunity to train the prospector agribusiness is essential to the

achievement of the project goals. However, there is a limit information on the knowledge of the

trainers. Hence study was conducted to assess the knowledge of the incubators in all the

enterprises under the project. On this premise, the following research question where addressed:

3
1.3 Research Question.

1 what are the socio-economic characteristics of respondent

2 what is the level of beneficiaries (incubator) in enterprise management

3 what is the knowledge level of beneficiaries (incubator) in selected enterprise

4 what are the constraints faced by beneficiaries in enterprise management

1.4 Objective of the Study

The main objective is to assess the competence and knowledge of enterprise managements

among LIFE-ND beneficiaries (incubators) in Ondo State Nigeria.

The specific objectives are to:

i. Describe the socio economic characteristics of respondents

ii. Determine the competence level of beneficiaries in enterprise management

iii. Determine the level of knowledge in enterprise managements

iv. Identify constraints to enterprise managements

1.4 Hypothesis of the Study

Hi: There is significant relationship between socioeconomic characteristics of LIFE-ND

beneficiaries in selected enterprises.

Ho: There is no significant relationship between socioeconomic characteristics of LIFE-ND

beneficiaries in selected enterprises.

4
1.5 Justification of the Study

The significance of this research is that the result will help to assess the level of competence and

knowledge of LIFE-ND beneficiaries in the selected enterprise. A state in which things are

improving; act of improving by expanding, enlarging or refining; the act of making some area of

land more profitable, productive, or useful. LIFE-ND, there for is

apolicyinterventionstrategiesputforwardbygovernmenttospurgrowthofagricultureandoragribusine

ss,withaviewto enhancing

thegrowthofanation'seconomy.NewFederalAgriculturalPromotionPolicy(APP)strategywasevolve

dovertimetosolvethecoreissuesoflimitedfoodproductionanddeliveryofquality standards. Its

thrustrestonpartneringofprivateinvestorsacrossfarmergroupsandcompanies,todevelopendtoendval

uechainsolutionsthatwillimprovesupplyofinputs,aswellasincreasesaleuseofhighyieldingtechnologi

es,leadingtoimproveddistributionsystem ofproducts/produces. LIFE-ND as a sector, includes all

participants in acommodityverticalstructure,thatrunfrom suppliers,farmers,assemblers, processors

and distributors to ultimate domestic, and international consumers(OlowaandOlowa,2015) .

1.6 Operational Definition of terms

1. Beneficiaries: Generally, this is a person who receives benefit from a particular entity (say

trust) or a person. The eligibility to be considered for benefits is confirmed either as per the

specification in the policy documents or by other legal norms.

2. Competence: This is a capacity to respond to individual, or societal, demands in order to

perform an activity or complete of a given task.

3. Knowledge: is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or something, such as

facts, information, descriptions, or skills, which is acquired by perceiving, discovering, or

learning.

5
4.Assessments: Assessment is a means of measuring the effectiveness of organizational

activities andjudging the significance of changes brought about by those activities. It is neither

Art or Science, but both. Assessment is intimately linked to Mission, and, in that sense,ripples

through the organization.

6
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVEIWS

2.1 Life- ND Concepts

The LIFE-ND Project Concept note was approved alongside the 2016-2021 Results Based

Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (RB-COSOP) by the IFAD Executive Board in

December 2016. The goal of the RB-COSOP is “a rural economy in which the targeted

population can derive prosperity and equal benefit from economic growth”. This goal is

supported by two strategic objectives: (i) the sustainable, climate-resilient economic and

financial inclusion of young people in profitable agribusiness; and (ii) strengthened institutions at

the state and community levels to work with private actors in key value chains. The RB-COSOP

targets poor families, the majority of them are unemployed youth and women, living in rural and

peri-urban areas. The RB-COSOP also recommended a more focused project intervention in a

smaller number of states where commitment to IFAD projects is high. LIFE-ND targets the RB-

COSOP's first Strategic Objective of inclusion of young people in profitable agribusiness. The

project is aligned to the national LIFE programme which is being designed to cover the entire

nation. LIFE-ND will leverage partnerships with other ongoing interventions for agribusiness

development for youth supported by agencies, including African Development Bank (AfDB)

investments (particularly the proposedENABLE Youth Programme), Department for

International Development (DFID) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

youth in agriculture project. The LIFE-ND serves as a flexible framework for the implementation

of the national LIFE Programme in the remaining 30 States of Nigeria following the request of

the FMARD.

7
8
2.2 Life-ND Project area

LIFE-ND will be implemented in the nine Niger Delta states (Abia, AkwaIbom, Bayelsa, Cross

River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers), as with the predecessor CBNRMP, but IFAD

financing will focus on six of the states in line with the recommendations of the 2015 Country

Programme Evaluation (CPE). The CPE noted that the attempt to cover many states under one

project was inefficient, diluted quality of outreach within each state, and compromised results.

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which has a mandate for the development

of the region, and had co-financed the predecessor IFAD-assisted CBNRMP, is partnering with

IFAD and the Federal Government to finance the implementation of LIFE-ND in the remaining

three states. The selection criteria for the six states for IFAD financing included: (i) clear focus

on poverty, community development and smallholder agriculture; and (ii) demonstrated

commitment and political will (as expressed in the level of participation in the former CBNRMP)

to support a joint programme with IFAD (see Appendix 16 for details). On the basis of these

criteria the government participants in IFAD's Design mission recommended for IFAD financing

to cover Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo states. In each state, LIFE-ND will

cover 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 10 communities per LGA based on defined

criteria. Overall, the project will work in 60 LGAs and 600 communities across the six states.

Consideration will be given to high performing states for adding two LGAs during the Midterm

Review (MTR) of the project.

2.3 Economic Life

James (2020) defined Economic Life as the expected period of time during which an asset

remains useful to the average owner. When an asset is no longer useful to its owner, then it is

said to be past its economic life. Economic life also refers to the length of time an asset is

9
expected to be useful to the owner. It is also called useful life or depreciable life. The measure of

an asset’s usefulness is how profitable it is to keep – in other words, how long an asset generates

more income than it costs to maintain and operate. Hence, in the light of this study, economic life

is operationalize as the length of time the Life-ND programme could improve the living

condition of the beneficiaries. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, has 42 percent of the

youth and 36 percent of the women either unemployed or underemployed. The particular issue of

youth underemployment in the rural areas - estimated at 23.5 percent - requires redress to

alleviate poverty both now and into the future. Oil exports which account for 95 percent of

export earnings and 70 percent of government revenue, have been declining since 2014 due to

reduced oil production caused by falling international prices, and increasing sabotage of oil

infrastructure in the Niger Delta region by restive youth. As a result of these issues and policy

uncertainty, the overall GDP growth rate has steadily decreased from 6.7 percent in 2014 to

negative 1.8 percent in 2016. Thus, Nigeria is in recession. This situation has posed major

challenges to public finance and the ability of the government to implement some of its

programmes since 2015. Agriculture which contributed 21 percent to the GDP in 2015 remains

underdeveloped. Nigeria's production of food has not kept pace with population growth and the

costly importation of food has resulted in rise in food prices placing pressure on the poor.

2.4 Rural Poverty.

Nigeria is predominantly a rural economy with over 60 percent of the population living in rural

areas, 90 percent of whom are engaged in subsistence farming. Rural poverty was estimated at

44.9 percent in 2013 against an urban poverty incidence of 12.6 percent. Inadequate access to

land, untitled agricultural land which limits users from investments in productivity

enhancements, private sector exclusion, and lack of initial capital and reliable market outlets

10
discourage youth and women from engaging in agriculture to improve their livelihood.

Smallholder productivity is often less than 70 percent of the potential and is declining due to soil

exhaustion, low uptake of technology, poor agricultural practices and low participation of private

sector in extension services. Resulting from those factors, there are low production and

supporting services, as well as contraction of raw material supply to industries and consequent

lack of jobs. Especially, rural youth and women face limited alternative employment

opportunities and weak governance which contributes to higher rural poverty.

2.5 Policy and institutional framework.

Nigeria has initiated several key strategies against these formidable challenges. Since 2010, the

Federal Government has recognized the need to diversify export earnings and alter its economic

growth strategy. The Vision 20:20 Road Map emphasized a diversified private sector-led

economy, agricultural growth, and employment creation. The development agenda of the current

administration, building on Vision 20:20, is focusing on anti-corruption, economic recovery,

employment creation and security. Aligned to Vision 20:20 are the agricultural sector policy,

Green Alternative Roadmap for Agriculture, and the Strategic Framework for Youth

Employment and Job Creation of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Green Alternative prioritizes four pillars: food security, job creation, import substitution and

economic diversification using a decentralized coordination framework, while the Strategic

Framework for Youth Employment and Job Creation emphasizes youth employment in

agriculture. Nigeria also has coherent policies for youth and gender inclusion, improved

nutrition, and promotion of rural financial inclusion, to which the design of this project aligns.

11
2.7 Project area and target group

LIFE-ND will be implemented in the nine Niger Delta states (Abia, AkwaIbom, Bayelsa, Cross

River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers), as with the predecessor CBNRMP, but IFAD

financing will focus on six of the states in line with the recommendations of the 2015 Country

Programme Evaluation (CPE). The CPE noted that the attempt to cover many states under one

project was inefficient, diluted quality of outreach within each state, and compromised results.

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which has a mandate for the development

of the region, and had co-financed the predecessor IFAD-assisted CBNRMP, is partnering with

IFAD and the Federal Government to finance the implementation of LIFE-ND in the remaining

three states. The selection criteria for the six states for IFAD financing included: (i) clear focus

on poverty, community development and smallholder agriculture; and (ii) demonstrated

commitment and political will (as expressed in the level of participation in the former CBNRMP)

to support a joint programme with IFAD (see Appendix 16 for details). On the basis of these

criteria the government participants in IFAD's Design mission recommended for IFAD financing

to cover Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo states. In each state, LIFE-ND will

cover 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 10 communities per LGA based on defined

criteria. Overall, the project will work in 60 LGAs and 600 communities across the six states.

Consideration will be given to high performing states for adding two LGAs during the Midterm

Review (MTR) of the project.

2.7.1 Target group.

LIFE-ND will be implemented in the Niger Delta Region covering the nine states. In the six

states covered by IFAD, LIFE-ND will primarily target 25,500 youth and women beneficiaries

as Apprentices that will come out of the Incubation System with their own profitable enterprises

12
and decent jobs, and eventually serve as Incubators themselves. It will also target about 600

established and potential enterprise Incubators as a pathway for job creation and economic

empowerment of the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries will be youth aged 18 to 35 years and

women headed households with children under the age of 15. Overall, the project will target 50

percent male and 50 percent female participation. The beneficiaries will be selected at the village

level based on the criteria highlighted in Box 1 in the main text, while Incubators will be

identified on the basis of their involvement in market linkage activities; adoption of out-grower

model; experience in the incubation of new enterprises; and technical, financial, managerial and

infrastructure capacity to provide enterprise incubation services to apprentices.

2.7.2 Gender Targeting.

Given that women have relatively poor access to land, inputs, and agricultural credit to improve

their production, productivity, income and livelihood; LIFE-ND will facilitate their grouping into

enterprise clusters to leverage services from input suppliers and organized produce buyers. LIFE-

ND targeting strategy will include: (i) promotion of enterprises responsive to women's

livelihoods such as production, processing and marketing of vegetables, fish, poultry, and honey,

for income, household food security and nutrition; (ii) time, venue and environment friendly

events for women's participation; (iii) self-targeting of women’s only groups; (iv) provision of at

least 50 percent of leadership positions for women in commodity associations, and 30 percent of

women in the project management team; and, (v) promotion of the use of Gender Action

Learning System (GALS).

13
2.7.3 The Niger Delta region.

The priority agricultural commodities in the region are cassava, plantain and rice, with fish,

cocoa, oil palm and poultry also featuring prominently in some states. The region’s rural

economy is driven by small and medium enterprises, but poor access to land, credit and reliable

market outlets are a big challenge for youth and women inclusion. Farm land is fragmented and

average landholding per family is less than two hectares. Though youth may have gone to

school, decent jobs are not plentiful, and youth normally lack start-up capital necessary to begin

enterprises. The few rural enterprises that exist show potential to create meaningful jobs and

employment for youth. Absolute poverty incidence ranges from 45 to 65 percent in the Niger

Delta states. Malnutrition is prevalent in the Niger Delta region with 5.3 percent acute

malnutrition, 12 percent underweight children, 20 percent stunting among children under five

years of age, and 4 percent acute malnutrition among women of reproductive age (15-49 years).

Household level food insecurity affects 88 percent of crop farm households in the region. Rising

temperatures due to climate change are projected to result in increased, higher intensity rainfall,

as well as earlier rains in the Niger Delta region which could worsen soil erosion. The sea level

rise as a result of rising temperature is expected to increase flooding which could negatively

affect agriculture, coastal infrastructure, coastal ecosystems, and human settlements.

2.8 Rationale

The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project for the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) directly

supports Nigeria's agricultural policy and the Strategic Framework for Youth Employment and

Job Creation. This Strategic Framework addresses the large and growing number of restless

unemployed youth, especially in rural areas. Nigeria's highest potential for decent job creation in

agriculture is in the south, including the Niger Delta, where small agribusinesses have

14
demonstrated remarkable success under the now concluded, IFAD-financed Community Based

Natural Resource Management Programme (CBNRMP). Under CBNRMP youth engaged in

agriculture based on high market demand, untapped opportunities to produce and market

profitable commodities, and high private sector interest in sectoral development. The LIFE-ND

project will develop the supply of skilled youth labour using the incubator model piloted by

CBNRMP where successful rural agribusinesses were facilitated to mentor neighboring youth to

produce greater volumes, leading to higher value enterprises and community incomes, and jobs

for the youth. The project will also address the pronounced gender gap in access by women to

land, productive assets, technology, finance, and markets. This design of LIFE-ND further builds

on the successes of IFAD-assisted Value Chain Development Project (VCDP) that continues to

create sustainable stakeholders' platforms which link rural smallholders to private off-takers; as

well as, the IFAD-assisted Rural Finance Institution Building Project (RUFIN) that developed

rural finance institutions and promoted local level savings to raise investment funds.

The LIFE-ND Project Concept Note was approved alongside the 2016-2021 Results Based

Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (RB-COSOP) by the IFAD Executive Board in

December 2016. The goal of the RB-COSOP is “a rural economy in which the targeted

population can derive prosperity and equal benefit from economic growth”. This goal is

supported by two strategic objectives: (i) the sustainable, climate-resilient economic and

financial inclusion of young people in profitable agribusiness; and (ii) strengthened institutions at

the state and community levels to work with private actors in key value chains. The RB-COSOP

targets poor families, the majority of them are unemployed youth and women, living in rural and

peri-urban areas. The RB-COSOP also recommended a more focused project intervention in a

smaller number of states where commitment to IFAD projects is high. LIFE-ND targets the RB-

15
COSOP's first Strategic Objective of inclusion of young people in profitable agribusiness. The

project is aligned to the national LIFE programme which is being designed to cover the entire

nation. LIFE-ND will leverage partnerships with other ongoing interventions for agribusiness

development for youth supported by agencies, including African Development Bank (AfDB)

investments (particularly the proposed ENABLE Youth Programme), Department for

International Development (DFID) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

youth in agriculture project. The LIFE-ND serves as a flexible framework for the implementation

of the national LIFE Programme in the remaining 30 States of Nigeria following the request of

the FMARD.

16
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Description of the Study Area

(According to the Fig 3.1) Ondo State, made up of 18 Local Governments areas is located in

south Western zone of Nigeria. The state lies between longitudes 4”30”and 6”East of the

Greenwich Meridian,5”45” and 8”15” North of the Equator. It has a land area of 14788.723 km²

and a population of 548,314 at the 2006 census. The main occupation in Ondo state is farming

and majority of the people in the area are engage in small and large scale farming with major

arable crops cultivated, which include: Cocoa, Cassava, Palm oil and Maize. It is situated in the

mangrove-swamp forest near the bight of Benin, tropical rain forest in thecenter part,and wooded

savanna on the gentle slopes of the Yoruba Hills in the North.

17
 Fig 3.1: Map showing the study area

3.2. Population of the Study

The population was taken from all the LIFE-ND beneficiaries in the selected enterprise in Ondo
State.

Technique and Size

Preliminary investigation showed that the project beneficiaries are centered at the central part of
Ondo state. Therefore, a two stage sampling procedure was used, which the first stage was
purposive of Ondo central which comprises Idanre,Oda,Iju-itaogbolu and Ondo where the
beneficiaries population is high. At the second stage, simple random sampling was used to select
fifteen (15) respondent from each of the selected towns thus, sixty (60) respondents were used
for the study.

18
3.4 Instrument for Data Collection

The instruments used for data collection include primary and secondary sources. The primary

source was questionnaires, interviews and direct observation; the questionnaire will be

administered in the selected enterprise in the area using selected respondent. The secondary

source was textbook, journals, newspapers, and magazine and government publications, previous

research project.

3.5 Method of Data Collection

The researcher employed two main methods of data collection namely; questionnaire and

interview. The questionnaire is less rewarding since you may or may not receive the responses

from the respondents or may receive them late. It is limited to the literate ones. This interview

method is used when immediate reply is needed. It could be used for both the illiterate and

literate ones.

3.6 Method of Data Analysis

Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used for this study .The raw data collected will be

coded and subjected to computer analysis. The descriptive statistical tools will be used such as

frequency distributions, mean and percentages of some selected variables to summarize and

describe the independent variables while the inferential statistics will be used to test the stated

hypotheses.

H1; will be tested using Excel multiple linear regression model with ordinary least square

regression, and principal factor analysis.

The mathematical representation of multiple linear regressions is:

19
Y = a + bX1 + cX2+ dX3 + €

Where;

Y- Dependent variable

X1,X2, X3 – independent (explanatory variables)

a- intercept

b, c, d – slopes

€- residual (error)

20
3.7 Measurement of Variables

Analytical Techniques

i. Descriptive research include survey and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds. The

major purpose of this research is description of the state of affairs as it exists at present.

ii. Descriptive such as frequency, percentage was used to analyses the four

objective.Descriptive statistics (Percentage and Frequency) will be used to analysis

objective one ,the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents (education, farm size,

family size, sex, age, educational level, income, yield, source of credits and farm

experience).

iii. Descriptive statistics (percentage and frequency) scores will be used to analyse objective

two and three, level of competence of beneficiaries in enterprise management and level of

knowlegde in enterprise managements

iv. Descriptive statistics (Percentage and Frequency) will be used to analyses objective four,

the constraints to the enterprise managements(high cost of transportation, shortage of

capital, poor infrastructure, low output market prices and lack of market information.)

21
 CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Personal Characteristics of Respondents

Result presented in Tables below reveals the descriptive statistics of the selected socioeconomic

characteristics of the Life-ND beneficiaries in Ondo State Nigeria.

Age of the respondents

The result indicates that 66.7 % of the beneficiaries fall within the age bracket of 41-60 years and

28.3% to be within 21-40 years with their mean age to be 20 years. This suggests that they

belong to the economically active population category. They can therefore put more effort into

their selected enterprises in order to increase their output. This finding is partially in line with the

Life-ND targeted group which will be youth aged 18 to 35 years to directly supports Nigeria's

agricultural policy and the Strategic Framework for Youth Employment and Job Creation.

Table 4.1: Age of the respondents

Age (year) Frequency Percentage Mean
21-40 17 28.3
41-60 40 66.7 20
Above 61 3 5.00
Source: Field Survey, 2023

Sex of the Respondents

The sex of the respondents was summarized in the same table 4.2 below. The result revealed that

73.3% were males, while 26.7% were females. This implied that males involved more in Life-

ND programme than females in the study area.

22
Table 4.2: Sex of the respondents
Sex Frequency Percentage
Male 44 73.3
Female 16 26.7
Source: Field Survey, 2023

Marital Status

The table 4.3 also revealed that majority of the respondents (81.7%) was married. This connotes

that the marriage institution is still highly esteemed in the society because it is evidence of being

responsible. This result is also in tandem with the report of Ewebiyi and Arimi (2013) who

submitted that the marriage institution played a key role in the livelihoods of rural dwellers in a

research carried out in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Table 4.3: Marital Status

Marital Status Frequency Percentage
Single 5 8.33
Married 49 81.7
Divorced 4 6.66
Widow/widower 6 10.0
Source: Field Survey, 2023

Educational Status

Concerning educational status of the respondents, analysis revealed that almost all the

respondents had tertiary education (63.3 %), Secondary education, (26.7%) and (6.66%) had

primary education. This implies that education is not a major problem confronting respondents in

the study area.

23
Table 4.3: Educational Status
Educational Status Frequency Percentage
None - -
Primary 4 6.66
Secondary 16 26.7
Tertiary 38 63.3
Source: Field Survey, 2023

Enterprise Experience

The result also observed that half (50%) of the respondents have between 20 years of enterprise

experience with a mean value of 15 years. It suggests that the beneficiaries are not new to the

enterprise.

Table 4.4: Level of experience in selected enterprise

Level of experience in selected Frequency Percentage
enterprise
Under 10 25 41.7
11-20 30 50.00
21-30 2 3.33
31-40 2 3.33
41-50 1 1.67
Above 51 - -
Source: Field Survey, 2023

24
Household Size

The results further showed that most (40%) of the respondents had four to seven persons’

households. This implied that the household size among the respondents was fairly large, and

probably most of them rely on family labor. This result corroborated with the findings of

Oluwatayo (2009) who carried out a study on livelihood diversification among rural households

in Nigeria and reported that household size among rural farm families was usually large.

Table 4.5 Cooperatives membership

Household size Percentage Frequency Mean
1-3 10 16.7 25
4-7 24 40.0
8-11 23 38.3
12-15 3 5.00
Source: Field Survey, 2023

Cooperative Society

Majorities (66.7%) are members of cooperative societies and this may expede progress

associated with group action such as opportunity of group bargain and capital mobilization.

Table 4.6 Cooperatives membership

Cooperative Percentage Frequency
membership
Member 40 66.7
Non Member 20 33.3

Source: Field Survey, 2023

4.2 Competence Level of Beneficiaries (incubators) in selected enterprise management in

25
the Study area.
The result in Table 2 shows the competence level among the beneficiaries in selected enterprise.

The result from the Table shows that majority (61.7%) of the respondents can manage their

enterprise on their own. This implies that with or without supervision the trained beneficiaries

can improved access to market and sustainably managed the profit realized from the selected

enterprise. It was revealed that above (58.4%) seriously agreed that: the programme provides

beneficiaries progress in their business module through the fund provided in starting the

enterprise, that Life-NG is a strongest programmes base on enterprise management that increase

beneficiaries engagement in business management, Beneficiaries are empowered to have control

when and how to manage their enterprise and Beneficiaries can provide demands facing the

benefits to establish business and flexibility of learning to increase profitability. This goes in line

with the Life-ND strategic framework which addresses youth engaged in agriculture based on

high market demand, untapped opportunities to produce and market profitable commodities, and

high private sector interest in sectorial development. The LIFE-ND project developed the supply

of skilled and competent youth labour using the incubator model piloted by CBNRMP where

successful rural agribusinesses will be facilitated to mentor neighboring youth to produce greater

volumes, leading to higher value enterprises and community incomes, and jobs for the youth.

Table 2:Competence Level of Beneficiaries in selected enterprise management inthe Study

26
area.

Variables SA A D SD Mean
Freq (%) Freq Freq Freq
(%) (%) (%)
Beneficiaries are able to manage their 37 ( 61.7) 23 (36.7) - - 24.6
enterprise on their own.

The programme provides beneficiaries 35 ( 58.4) 25 (41.7) - - 27.5

progress in their business module through
the fund provided in starting the enterprise.

Beneficiaries are guided in their 29 ( 48.4) 31 (51.7) - - 25.1

management and control of resources/
income.

Life-NG is a strongest programmes base on 35 ( 58.4) 25 (41.7) - - 25.0

enterprise management that increase
beneficiaries engagement in business
management.
Beneficiaries are empowered to have 35 ( 58.4) 21 35.0) 4 (6.67) - 25.0
control when and how to manage their
enterprise

Beneficiaries can provide demands facing 35 (58.4) 22(36.7) 13(21.7) - 29.2

the benefits to establish business and
flexibility of learning to increase
profitability

Beneficiaries control their pacing because 22 ( 36.7) 19 (31.6) 19(31.6) - 24.9

they are confined by a set of management
process.

Note: SA = Strongly Agree, A= Agreed D= Disagreed,SD= strongly disagree

Source: field survey, 2023

4.3 Level of knowledge in selected enterprise managements

27
Result in Table 3 reveals the percentage values of knowledge’s level of beneficiaries in selected

enterprises management. Further categorization revealed that Life-ND beneficiaries in Ondo

State had very satisfied knowledge in most of the variables listed while they are extremely and

slightly satisfied with the level of knowledge in the remaining variables. From the Table,

beneficiaries recorded very satisfied percentage score in beneficiaries skill level(71.7%)

followed by beneficiaries level of knowledge in controlling and managing resources (63.4%).

This result revealed that beneficiaries are very satisfied with knowledge gained from the Life-

ND programme in their selected enterprises in the study area. As expected, most of the selected

enterprise listed is common and part of enterprises approved by FMARD for job creation among

youth and women in Ondo State. This corroborates with number one goal of Life-ND which

stated that at least 25,500 direct beneficiaries of youth and women inagri-enterprises should

directly strengthened or created resulting in profitable agribusiness and related paid services

providing stable income for enhanced food security and sustainable livelihood.

Considering the variables with the highest percentage scores, it could be concluded that Life-ND

beneficiaries had knowledge’s level satisfaction in beneficiaries skill level is expected sinceone

of the developmental objectives of Life-ND is establishment of sustainable economic enterprises

by encouraging implementing of agencies to have adequate capacity, Suitable enterprises to

serve as incubators are available in the project area and driven demand Training for the

beneficiaries in the project area.

Table 3: Level of knowledge in selected enterprise managements

Variables ES VS SS NS Mean
Freq (%) Freq (%) Freq (%) Freq (%)

28
 Beneficiaries performance in 16 (26.7) 33(55.0) 1 (1.67) -
enterprise management
Beneficiaries skill level 14 (23.4) 43(71.7) 3 (5.00) - 25

Beneficiaries self- concept and 17 (28.4) 30(50.0) 13 (21.7) -

values

Beneficiaries personal 14 (23.4) 35 (58.4) 10 (16.7) 1 (1.67)

characteristics

Beneficiaries level of knowledge 10 (16.7) 38 (63.4) 8 (13.34) 4 (6.66)

in controlling and managing
resources.
Beneficiaries Lack of proper 7 (11.7) 20 (33.4) 26 (33.4) 7 (11.7)
information

Poorly stored knowledge 5 (8.33) 27 (45.0) 28 (41.7) 15 (25.0)

Bad management altitude 22(36.7) 28 (41.7) 20 (33.4) 7 (11.7)

Adequate beneficiaries training 20 (33.4) 26 (33.4) 12 (20.0) 22 (36.6)

Beneficiaries Good business 25 (41.7) 35 (58.4) 25 (41.7) 3 (5.00)

strategy

Note: ES = extremely satisfied, VS= Very satisfied, SS= Slightly satisfied, NS= Not satisfied
Source: field survey, 2023.
4.4: Constraints faced by the beneficiaries in selected enterprise management.

29
Table 4 summarizes the responses to interview question on the most important factors, which

affect Life-ND beneficiaries in selected enterprise. The table shows that most of the limiting

factors as perceived by the respondents, are more or less related to infrastructural, environmental

and policy issues. For instance, lack of capital (90.0%), unexpected weather (75.0%) and social

amenities (55.0%) are most often as a serious factor affecting beneficiaries in their selected

enterprise. In this connection it is interesting to note that 55.0 % of the respondents qualified the

research incompetence of the extension agents and lack of necessary social amenities as very

serious constraints in their various enterprises. The result further indicates that input and output

price (56.0%), poor access to agricultural inputs and services (53.4%), lack of technical know-

how(51.7%), and incidence of pest and diseases (50.0%) respectively are serious problems faced

by the respondents. Likewise, only 55.0 % of the respondents reported that they have slightly

serious on low access to relevant information.

Table 4: Constraints faced by the beneficiaries in selected enterprise management.

30
Constraints VS S SS NS NP Mean
Freq (%) Freq (%) Freq (%) Freq (%) Freq (%)
Lack of quality land 19 (31.6) 22 (36.7) 2 (3.33) 8 (13.3) 10 (16.7)
Erosion and loss of soil 11 (18.4) 26 (33.4) 6 (10.0) 5 (8.33) 11 (18.4)
fertility
Low yield 7 (11.7) 18 (30.0) 13(26.0) 12 (20.0) 10 (16.7)
Poor access to 8 (13.3) 32 (53.4) 15(25.0) 12 (20.0) 3 (5.00)
agricultural inputs and
services
Lack of mechanization 20 (33.4) 15 (25.0) 9 (15.0) 7 (11.7) 9 (15.0)
Incompetence of the 33 (55.0) 26 (33.4) 9 (15.0) 11 (18.4) 22 (36.7)
extension agents
Low access to relevant 3 (5.00) 22 (36.7) 33(55.0) - 2 (3.33)
information
Labor shortages 31(51.7) 28 (41.7) 1 (1.67) - -
Poverty and illiteracy 22 (36.7) 29 (48.3) 3( 5.00) - 6 (10.0)
Lack of technical 10 (16.7) 31(51.7) 7 (11.7) 5 (8.33) 7 (11.7)
know-how
High cost of feed 28 (41.7) 12 (20.0) 3 (55.0) 5 (8.33) 12 (20.0)
Floods 12 (20.0) 16 (26.7) 10(16.7) 2 (3.33) 30 (50.0)
Poor quality of ponds 9 (15.0) 8 (13.3) - 13 (26.0) 30 (50.0)

Lack of necessary 33 (55.0) 26 (33.4) 1 (1.67) - -

social amenities
[water, electrical power
supply]
Lack of skilled workers 32 (53.4) 28 (41.7) - - -
Incompetence of the 4 (6.66) 27 (43.3) 9 (15.0) 1 (1.67) 19 31.7)
extension agents
Incidence of pest and 23(36.7) 30 (50.0) 7 (11.7) - -
diseases
Lack of capital 54 (90.0) 6 (10.0) - - -
Poor farming methods 9 (15.0) 20 (33.4) 19(31.7) 1 (1.67) 11 (31.7)
Limited knowledge of 2 (3.33) 23 (38.3) 22(36.7) 7 (11.7) 6 (10.0)
beneficiaries
Land tenure system 24 (40.0) 20 (33.4) 4 (6.67) 4 (6.67) 8 (13.3)
Adequate machinery 14 (23.4) 17 (28.3) 11(18.4) 7 (11.7) 11(31.7)
and equipment
Availability of seeds 7 (11.7) 17 (28.3) 8 (13.3) 7 (11.7) 27 (45.0)
Input and output price 19 (31.7) 34(56.0) 4 (6.67) - 3 (5.00)
Irrigation 26 (33.4) 8 (13.3) 3 (5.00) 13(26.0) 10 (16.7)
Unexpected weather 45 (75.0) 15 (25.0) 1 (1.67) 1 (1.67) -
Note: VS = Very serious, S= Serious, SS= slightly serious, NS= Not serious, NP= Not a
problem

31
Table 5 shows the categories of enterprise in the selected area in Ondo State which comprises

Agronomics (26.7), Fishery (25.0), Livestock (26.7), and Mixed farming (21.7). This implies that

virtually all the categories of selected enterprise were involved in the programme that job can be

created through divers means. The above finding seems to justify the engagement and the

objective for which the programme was created. The above finding appears to agree with IFAD

(2017) study which found that Life-ND contributed to empowerment of youths and women

through different type of enterprises in dealing with poverty reduction, skilled youth labour,

productive assets, technology, financial empowerment, on-the-job experience and investment in

small scaleagri- businesses among youths and women in OndoState.

Table 5: Selected Enterprise

Enterprise management in the selected area Freq (%)

Cocoa 16 (26.7)
Fishery 15 (25.0)
Poultry 16 (26.7)
Cassava 13 (21.7)

32
 Chart Title
20
18
16
14
12 Freq (%)
10
8
6
4
2
0
Cocoa Fishery Poultry Cassava

Fig 5.1: Graph showing the selected enterprise in the study area.

33
4.5 Testing of hypothesis

H1:There is significant relationship between socioeconomic characteristics of LIFE-ND

beneficiaries in selected enterprises.

H0:There is no significant relationship between socioeconomic characteristics of LIFE-ND

beneficiaries in selected enterprises.

The summary of Pearson's moment correlation analysis results illustrated in Table 3 showed that

age, sex, educational status and year of experience were not significantly related to the selected

enterprises of Life-ND beneficiaries in Ondo State.

Table 6: Testing the Relationship between the Socio-economic Characteristics and selected
enterprise

Personal characteristics R (Values) P (values) Remark

Age 0.427 0.473 Not significant

Sex 0.234 0.704 Not significant

Education status 0.258 0.674 Not significant

Level of Experience 0.483 0.409 Not significant

N o t e: R = Pearson correlation, P = significant values, = Alpha= 0.05. Decision rule: if P > we

accept H0

34
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECONMMENDATION(S)

5.1 Summary

In the study, our focus was to access Life-ND beneficiaries’ competence and knowledge level

and its effects on their selected enterprises using Ondo State as a case study. The study specially

was aimed at identify the competence level of the respondents, level of knowledge, the

constraints faced by the beneficiaries. The study adopted the survey research design and

randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 60 responses were validated from the

enrolled participants where all respondents are selected within the selected communities in Ondo

State.

5.2 Conclusion

The overall goal of LIFE is to realize a transformed rural economy in which the rural population

can derive prosperity and equal benefit. The goal and purpose are aligned with the RB-COSOP

Results Management Framework. The project development objective is to enhance income, food

security and job creation for rural youth and women through agri-enterprise development on a

sustainable basis in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. This feeds directly into the RB-COSOP’s

Strategic Objective (SO) 1, which is to promote sustainable, climate resilient, economic and

financial inclusion of youth and poor women in profitable agribusiness. LIFE will also feed into

SO 2, strengthened institutions at state and community level to work with private actors in key

value chains. The RB-COSOP is aligned to the Green Alternative (Government Agricultural

Policy), which emphasizes four pillars: food security, job creation, import substitution and

economic diversification. The achievement of the project objective at the end of the project life

35
will be measured by the following indicators: At least 25,500 direct LIFE beneficiary households

have stable income for enhanced food security and sustainable livelihood. At least 25,500 youth

and poor women's agri-enterprises are directly strengthened or created. At least 25,500 gainful

jobs (the same as ii above) are directly created for youth and women in ownership of profitable

agribusiness and related paid services. At least 50 percent increase in volume of produce by

direct beneficiary agri-entrepreneurs realized. At least 50 percent increase in volume of marketed

produce by direct beneficiaries achieved. At least 25 percent value addition is realized through

processed produce/products. At least 50 percent increase in profit is realized by direct

beneficiaries engaged in agri-enterprises. At least 80 percent of direct beneficiaries (20,400) have

increased their food security (reduction in length of lean/hungry season, increased number of

meals a day, increased food diversity and quality) by at least 50 percent. At least 80 percent of

direct beneficiaries (20,400) have increased their assets (measured by an increased assets

ownership index, based on additional assets -RIMS indicator) by at least 50 percent. At least 50

percent of rural institutions promoting youth-based profitable agri-enterprises supported and

strengthened. At least 80 percent of direct beneficiaries (20,400) practicing improved product

handling and marketing practices (quality, packaging, standard weights, etc).

Based on the findings of this study, the competence level of the Life-ND beneficiaries in Ondo

state Nigeria was seriously agreed in beneficiaries are able to manage their enterprise on their

own and not seriously agreed in beneficiaries control their pacing because they are confined by a

set of management process. Also, beneficiaries are guided in their management and control of

resources/ income was agreed while beneficiary control their pacing because they are confined

by a set of management process has lowest in agreed variable. Furthermore, the knowledge level

of the beneficiaries in Life-ND programme in OndoState Nigeria which was extremely satisfied

36
and very satisfied in following variables which includes Beneficiaries Good business strategy,

beneficiaries skill level, beneficiaries level of knowledge in controlling and managing resources,

persona characteristic, and their performance in enterprise management among others. The

priority list of assessed beneficiary levels produced efficiently and effectively managed project

achieving results with competency and knowledge management integrated in all aspects of

operations by the beneficiaries.

5.2 Recommendation

Based on the conclusions of the study, the study recommends that the in-practice training

programmes for the beneficiaries in selected enterprise should focus on the assessed competence

and knowledge levels with greater importance attached on the chosen enterprise based on

available opportunities in the business environment of the beneficiaries to practice them. The

absence of a well-structured policy coordination unit within the federal and state ministries of

agriculture has been a major constraint to effective policy engagement, dissemination of results

to government systems and institutions, up-scaling of successes by the government, and the

development of strategic partnerships. LIFE-ND, along with all DP investments in Nigerian

agriculture, will also invest in the central communication platform of IFAD supported

programmes, which has become an active communication and knowledge sharing pathway to

scale up results. At the state level, LIFE-ND will support the strengthening of the agricultural

development programmes (ADPs) for effective policy dialogue on extension, quality assurance

on services provided to beneficiaries, and M&E activities. At the state level, LIFE-ND will be

domiciled in the ADP office complex for better synergy with government agricultural initiatives

and other development partner projects. For most projects in Nigeria, weak financial

management and unpredictable counterpart funding from the states and LGAs have disrupted

37
fund flow and project delivery, leading to low loan draw-down. Consequently, LIFE-ND will: (i)

align with Nigeria's new Treasury Single Account system for fund monitoring and donor

alignment; (ii) strengthen the project’s financial management capacity; (iii) as in other IFAD-

assisted projects, limit government counterpart funding to overhead costs; and (iv) apply the

IFAD loan proceeds to fund field activities 100percent, pay the salaries of non-government staff

at the national/regional/state levels, and the operational allowances of project staff. All these are

need to put in place to boost the competence and level of knowledge of the beneficiaries in their

selected enterprises.

38
 REFERENCES

Bawden, R. (1996).“A Learning Approach to Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development:

Reflections from Hawkesbury”University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, Richmond,
NSW 2753, Australia.
Byerlee D. (2000).“Targeting Poverty Alleviation in Priority Setting for Agricultural
Research”.Food Policy, 25, 429-45.
Duncan C.M. (2005). “Why Poverty Persists in Appalachia”.Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/countryboys/readings/duncan.html.
Ewebiyi&Arimi (2013) Productivity analysis of cassava - based production systems in the
Guinea Savannah: Case study of Ogun State, Nigeria. Am Euras. J. Sci. Res., 3 (1): 33-
39, IDOSI Publications.
Hoppe, R.A & D. E. Banker. (2010). “Structure and Finances of U.S. Farms: Family Farm
Report, 2010 Edition”. Economic Information Bulletin No.(EIB-66) 72.
Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Project in the Niger Delta of Nigeria (LIFE-ND)
2017:Project No. 2000001043 Report No: 4674-NG West and Central Africa Programme
Management Department
Obst, W.J., Graham, R. and graham, C., 2007.Financial Management for Agribusiness. Landlinks
Press, Australia. 1 - 6pp.
Ogidi, A. E., 2016. Agribusiness Versus Economic Growth: Whither Nigeria? International
Journal of Sustainable Development. 11 (I): 0 I - 10.
Okoro,O.M (2000).Programme Evaluation in Education. Obosi: Pacific College Press. Lawrence
SalmenBeneficiary Assessment: An Approach Described, SDP Number 10,
Oluwatayo F.G. (2009) A process technology for conversion of dried cassava chips into
gari. Nigerian Food Journal. 2009; 22: 65–77
Oni, T.O (2013).Challenges and Prospects of Agricultural in Nigeria: The Way Forward. Journal
of Economics and Sustainable Development, 4( 16): 37 - 46.
Phillips, M., D. T. McFadden, & M. Sullins.(2011).“Possible Roles for Social Networking in
AgritourismDevelopment”.Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Fort
Collins, CO 80523-1172 http://dare.colostate.edu/pubs.
Rilla, E., S. D. Hardesty, C. Getz, and H. George. (2011). “California Agritourism Operations
and their Economic Potential are Growing .Retrieved from
http://californiaagriculture.ucanr.org April-June 57
Rosenberger, R.S. T. G. Gebremedhin, &Hailu, Y.(2002).“An Economic Analysis of
Urbanization of Agricultural Land in West Virginia”.Research paper 2002-8: Division of
Resource Management, West Virginia University.
Stanton, J. V., 2000. The Role of Agric business in Development: Replacing the Diminished
Role of the Government in Raising Rural Incomes. Journal of Agribusmess, 18 (2): 173-
187.
Tijani, I.A., Alawode,0.0.,Fawehinmi,0.0.,Gafar, A. 0 &Kolade, O.A. (2017). Policies and
agricbussinesdevelopment:the Nigerian experience,Conference Proceeding:. of The 18"
Annual National Conference of The Nigerian Associationo of Ag;iclturalEconomis
Van derPloeg, J.D. (2000).“Revitalizing agriculture: Farming Economically as Starting Ground
for Rural Development”. SociologiaRuralis, 40(4), 497-511.

39
 APPENDIX

APPENDICS A: Questionnaire

ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY AKUNGBA-AKOKO,

ONDO STATE.
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
TOPIC:

ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF BENEFICIARIES OF

LIFE-ND PROGRAMME IN SELECTED ENTERPRISE
IN ONDO STATE.

Dear respondents,
This Research Questionnaire, in which I, AJEWOLE OLUFUNMILAYO JOHN, a 500 level
student of the above mentioned department is seeking your participation is fully for academic
purpose to obtain information on the above project topic. You are assured of absolute
confidentiality of any view expressed in relation to this research. I therefore request that you give
adequate information accurately.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Types of Enterprise Management

Please tick (√ ) the selected enterprise
1. COCOA ( )
2. FISHERY ( )
3. POULTRY ( )
4. CASSAVA ( )

SECTION A: Socio Economic Characteristics

Please tick (√ ) the appropriate actions and provide answers in the blank space.
5. Age:_______________ years
6. Sex: (a) Male ( ), Female ( )
7. Marital Status: (a) Married ( ), (b) Single ( ), (c) Divorced ( ), (d) Widowed ( ), (e) Others

40
 (please specify)_______________
8. Religion: Christian ( ), Muslim ( )
9. Household size: _______________
10. Farm size: _______________
11. Level of education: (a) Non-formal ( ), (b) Primary education ( ), (c) Secondary education (),
(d) Tertiary education ( ), (e) Others (please specify) ___________________
12. Level of experience in selected management: ______________________
13. Are you a member of any agricultural cooperative? (a) Yes ( ), (b) No ( ).
14. Do you have contact with ADP extension agent? (a) Yes ( ), (b) No ( ).
15. Annual income: (a) Farm income _______________ (b) Non-farm income ______________

SECTION B: Competence Level of Beneficiaries in selected enterprise management in the

Study area

Variables Strongly Agree Disagree Strongly

Agree disagree
1 2 3 4

Beneficiaries are able to manage

their enterprise on their own.
The programme provides
beneficiaries progress in their
business module through the fund
provided in starting the enterprise.
Beneficiaries are guided in their
management and control of
resources/ income.
Life-NG is a strongest programmes
base on enterprise management that
increase beneficiary’s engagement
in business management.
Beneficiaries are empowered to
have control when and how to
manage their enterprise
Beneficiaries can provide demands
facing the benefits to establish
business and flexibility of learning
to increase profitability
Beneficiaries control their pacing
because they are confined by a set
of management process.

41
SECTION C: Level of knowledge in selected enterprise managements

Variables Extremely Very Slightly Not satisfied at all

satisfied Satisfied satisfy 4
1
2 3
Beneficiaries performance in
enterprise management
Beneficiaries skill level
Beneficiaries self- concept and
values
Beneficiaries personal
characteristics
Beneficiaries level of knowledge
in controlling and managing
resources.
Beneficiaries Lack of proper
information
Poorly stored knowledge
Bad management altitude
Adequate beneficiaries training
Beneficiaries Good business
strategy

SECTION D: Constraints faced by the beneficiaries in selected enterprise management.

Constraints Very Serious Slightly Not Not

serious serious serious a
Problem
Lack of quality land
Erosion and loss of soil fertility
Low yield
Poor access to agricultural inputs and
services
Lack of mechanization
Incompetence of the extension agents
Low access to relevant information
Labor shortages

42
Poverty and illiteracy
Lack of technical know-how
High cost of feed
Floods
Poor quality of ponds
Lack of necessary social amenities
[water, electrical power supply]
Lack of skilled workers
Incompetence of the extension agents
Incidence of pest and diseases
Lack of capital
Poor farming methods
Limited knowledge of beneficiaries
Land tenure system
Adequate machinery and equipment
Availability of seeds
Input and output price
Irrigation
Unexpected weather

43