ANALYSIS OF RISK ATTITUDE OF SELECTED ACTORS IN THE PLANTAIN VALUE CHAIN IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

• S. Adewole

  Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure

  Author

• E. Ajewole

  Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure

  Author

This study analysed the risk attitudes of farmers and marketers in the plantain value chain in Akure North and South LGAs, Ondo state, Nigeria. Analysis of risks involved in the production and marketing of plantain in the study area indicated that the major risk faced by plantain farmers and marketers in the study area (with the highest RII of 0.96 and 0.98 respectively) was the seasonality of plantain that affects the prices of plantain. Also, the attitude of majority of the farmers and marketers in the study area to the risk of reduction in the price of plantain during plantain season (with the highest RII of 0.93 and 1.00 respectively) was tolerance to this risk, as they do not reduce the quantity of plantain produced and sold or neither do they stop the business entirely. Results of the multiple regression analysis showed that for farmers, invasion of pests and diseases was the only factor (significant at 10%) which influenced their attitudes towards risks while for marketers, years of experience, instability in the cost of purchasing plantain and instability in the price of selling plantain were the only significant factors at 10% which influenced their attitudes towards risks. This study concluded that price risk is the major risk faced by both farmers and marketers and their attitude to this risk was the reduction in price of plantain during its season and that invasion of pests and diseases was a significant factor which does not prevent the farmers’ from taking risks.

1. S. Adewole, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure

   Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure

2. E. Ajewole, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure

   Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, The Federal University of Technology, Akure

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