Pre-Harvest Losses and Strategies Adopted by Plantain Farmers in Mitigating Them in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Abstract:

The study examined the pre-harvest losses and strategies adopted by plantain farmers in mitigating them in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: identify causes of pre-harvest losses and evaluate strategies adopted by plantain farmers in mitigating pre-harvest losses. Five (5) Local Government Areas (Yenagoa, Ogbia, Kolokuma-Opokuma, Sagbama, and Southern Ijaw) were purposefully selected using a multi-stage sample technique. These LGAs were selected based on the predominance of commercial plantain producers in each of the five (6) villages within each LGA. Additionally, there are eight (8) plantain farmers in each village, for a total of 240 plantain farmers. A structured questionnaire was employed to extract the necessary data from the selected farmers. The result indicates that theft, pest, flood, diseases and logging were the major causes identified affecting pre-harvest losses of plantain in the study area. Furthermore, planting of permanent crops as blockade, use of flood free zones for cultivation, use of improved varieties of sucker, practice of integrated pest management technique, better extension services and cultivating dwarfish breeds were strategies employed by plantain farmers to reduce pre-harvest losses. The recommendations made in light of the findings were for farmers to receive appropriate orientation and/or fundamental training in important farm management techniques, with a focus on plantain production pre-harvest losses. They will become more profitable as a result and become more effective.