FARM LABOUR USE FOR TELFEIRIA PRODUCTION AMONG RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN ABA AGRICULTURAL ZONE, ABIA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study analyzed the extent of farm labour use for telferia production among rural households in the Aba agricultural zone, Abia State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study identified the types of labour used and ascertained the sources and extent of labour used in the study area.  A two-staged sampling procedure was used to select the one hundred (100) rural households for the study. The data obtained were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including percentages, means, and frequencies. The inferential statistics included ordinary least squares regression analysis. Results showed that 10.0% of the respondents engaged in family labour, 90.0% of them engaged in hired labour, 07.0% of them engaged in exchange labour, 10.0% of them engaged in group labour. At the same time, none of them agreed to engage in communal labour. About 64.0% of the respondents used family members as their source of labour, 15.0% used youths in the community, 87.0% used farm labourers from distant places, 10.0% used local labour groups, while

17.0% used labour partners. A grand mean of =3.57 indicated a high extent of use of farm labour in Telferia production from land clearing to harvesting in the study area.  Age, sex, marital status, extension contact, and farming experiences were found to be significant at 5% and 1% levels of probability. A clear shift from traditional family-based labour towards hired and alternative labour forms is evident to achieve an increased income from telfaria production. The study recommended that stakeholders should introduce and popularize appropriate mechanization and labour-efficient tools for Telferia production, especially targeting weeding and harvesting operations.

Keywords: farm labour, telferia, production, households