ABSTRACT

Seedlings production is a means of self-employment that generates income with relatively low investment expenditure for farmers. The objective of this study was to investigate seedlings production as a means of economic enhancement of farmers in Ibadan metropolis in Nigeria.  Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire administered to seventy eight (78) nursery owners in the five urban local governments of North East, Ibadan North, Ibadan Northwest, Ibadan Southeast and Ibadan Southwest which make up Ibadan. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the socio-economic and production constraints data, while the economic evaluation of nursery activities were estimated using Gross margin (GM) and Rate of return (RORT) analyses. The result showed that 69% of the respondents were within the age bracket of 21-50 years. The result also revealed that men involved in the establishment of the business (seedlings production) (78.2%) while majority of the respondents had tertiary education which accounted for (56.4%). Majority of the respondents were married (61.5%). The seedlings identified at the various nurseries consisted of twenty one (21) species which were categorized under; ornamental plant (10 species), tree crops plant (9 species) and two (2) forest species. The economic analysis from this study showed that the rate of returns (RORT) was high with the highest returns derived from the Umbrella tree (#1000). The study further revealed that the major constraints faced by the respondents in the study area were inadequate water supply, and inflation. Against these odds, establishment of nursery and seedlings production business is an attractive business to the people in the metropolis and specifically to the unemployed youths. There is need for Government involvement at various levels, and NGOs to encourage individuals to establish nurseries through provision of loans to start up or expand the existing nursery businesses.