Assessment of sweet potato production and processing among farming households in Nigeria

Sweet potato is one of the most important root crops in developing countries. This study assessed the production and processing of sweet potato among farming households in Kwara State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 120 sweet potato farmers for the study using a structured questionnaire. The specific objectives were to assess the level of production and processing among sweet potato farmers, determine the costs and returns to sweet potato cultivation and processing, ascertain the determinants of sweet potato processing and examine the constraints of sweet potato production and processing among the farmers in the study area. Analytical tools employed for this study include; Gross Margin, Binary logistic regression, and Likert-type scale. The result showed that the mean age of farmers was 45.4 implying that they were agile and in their working age. The average revenue generated by the farmers in sweet potato production was ₦113,250 with a mean gross margin of ₦87,185.83 and the average cost of sweet potato processing was ₦3,355.00 with a gross margin of ₦10,726. Marital status and Output were found to be determinant factors of sweet potato processing at 5% level of significance. The major constraints to sweet potato processing include inadequate storage facilities for processed sweet potato, inadequate extension services, and high cost of packaging. Keywords: Binary Logistic Regression, Gross Margin, Nigeria, sweet potato processing, sweet potato production