OPTIMAL FARM PLAN OF IRRIGATED MAIZE PRODUCTION AMONG FARMERS IN LERE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA.

This study evaluated optimal farm plan of irrigated maize production among farmers in Lere, Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to randomly select 180 maize farmers in the study area. Primary data were collected through the use of questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, net-farm income model, linear programming model and principal component analysis. The result showed that majority of the maize farmers in the study area were male, their mean age was 36 years. All of the farmers had one form of education or the other. The mean household size of the respondents was 8 persons. The mean years of farming experience was 14 years. Majority (83%) of the respondents considered maize farming as their primary occupation. About 72% of the respondents had a farm size that ranges between 1-3 hectares, with a mean non-farm income of N116,388 per month. About 67% were members of cooperative society. Majority of the respondents had access to credit. Irrigated maize production was profitable, with total revenue, total cost and net-farm income of N1,952,335.0, N493,793.8 and N1,458,541.2 respectively, and Return On Investment of 295%. The result of the Linear Programming analysis showed that labour used was binding, while yield (kg/ha), farm size used (ha), seed used (kg/ha) and fertilizer used (kg/ha) were not binding. The major constraints identified in maize production in the study area were classified under four major components: economic factors (24.64%), institutional factors (25.26%), environmental factors (36.78%) and infrastructural factors (13.37%). The study recommended that in order to ensure efficient utilization of resources in the study area: government should initiate adult education programmes for farmers; policy makers should consider the land consolidation; and farmers should invest in labour saving agricultural machinery.