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Table 2.19. Farmers’ priority agronomic production constraints
Sector Constraints Rank % of farmers
ranking
Crop
Reasons of the importance
Attack of rodents, birds,
1 57 Yield reduction
grasshoppers, grasscutters
Diseases attack on cassava, 2 53 Yield reduction
cocoyam and groundnut
Attack of aphids and brown rot 3 48 Yield reduction
on cocoa
Low soil fertility 4 37 Poor yield in general
Unavailability of fertilisers and
pesticides
5 42 Proliferation of diseases and
insects
Weeds infestation 6 37 Yield reduction
Reared
animals
Diseases and pests 1 47 Reduction in production
Animal predation 2 38 Reduction in production
Poor feed and feeding 3 22 Animal divagation leading to
social conflict
For animal husbandry, farmers identified and ranked three major constraints to animal
production. 47% of the farmers ranked animal diseases and pests in the first position. 38% of the
farmers rank animal predation in second position, and 22% of farmers ranked problem of feed
and feeding in third position. According to farmers, animal diseases and pests, and predation
reduce the production of animals, and the problem of feed and feeding lead to animal divagation
and development of conflicts among farmers.
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