ACHIEVING SUSTINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION IN ENUGU STATE THROUGH EFFECTIVE STORAGE AND MAREKTIGN SYSTEMS
ABSTRACT
This research work was carried out mainly to look with the ways of achieving sustainable food production in Enugu state through effective storage and marketing system. (a case study of Nkanu West Local Government Area Enugu state), the aim of this study were to appraise the storage and marketers in Nkanu west L.G.A, in achieving a sustainable food production for the citizens, and to ascertain the likely constraints envisaged on the process of production, storage and marketing facilities available to the farmers in the study area, to know the members level of education and management committees abilities to store and market the societies produce and finally to generate certain findings that would enhance effective storage and marketing system to ensure adequate returns to members of marketers in the area of study. In the population of the study were 460 members of registered primary and secondary societies in the study area.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.0    INTRODUCTION                                         
1.1        Background of the study                                      
1.2        Statement of Problem                                 
1.3        Objective  of the Study                                       
1.4        Research Questions                                            
1.5        Significance of the Study                                     
1.6        Scope and Limitations of the study                        
1.7        Definition of the Terms                                
CHAPTER TWO
2.1        Review of Related Literature                        
2.2        Various forms of Farming System Adopted     
2.3        Reasons /purpose of Embarking on Farming   
2.4        System Adopted in Storing and Marketing      
2.5        Cost and Benefits of Storage Systems            
2.6        Various Agricultural Marketing Institutions      
2.7        Importance of Agricultural Marketing             
2.8        Problems Associated with Agricultural            
2.9        Problems of the Entire Farmers in Enugu        
2.10    Summary of Review Literature                     
CHAPTER THREE
Findings, Conclusions and  Recommendations
Research of Findings                                   
 Conclusions                                                      
3.3  Recommendations                                        
References
Appendix
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Agriculture formerly provided most of the country’s food that earn most of the foreign proportion of government revenue at the early stage of economic development in Nigeria, self sufficiency in food production was taken for granted. Therefore, for this reason most of the early government’s efforts to develop the countries agriculture were based on export of cash crops like palm produce, cassava, cocoa, rubber and groundnut. This effort were largely in terms of marketing board which were set up to handle all major export crops except rubber and in terms of research institutes for agronomic research into the cooperative especially in the area where lack of meaningful or adequate policy toward food produce was inherited by the nations successive administration after independence. Due to the nation’s lackadaisical attitude, there were storage of both food and the exportation of the domestic crops as it is being experience today, it is the realization of the need to set up the production of cash crop to meet the home or internal demand and export the surplus that prompted the government to change course from their laissez-fair attitude to more directed agricultural policies. Operation feed the nations programmers was an extension based production. Prior to 1973, when oil emerged as the leading sector of Nigeria economy. Agriculture was the main stay as it constituted the major source of employment, government revenue and foreign exchange. It is obvious that agriculture and marketing activities have ensure constant food on the dinning tables of Nigeria families who would gone as a result of starvation; this is because it is n area in which the nation possesses considerable comparative advantages especially through commercial farmer.
        The second decade (1970-1980) of the post independence period in Nigeria witnessed a considerable aggregate of food production, storage and marketing problems brought about by a relative high rate of growth (about 1.5% rev alum) in production storage and or the production side they were those fundamental problems arising from farm resources constraints which caused some families to face the problem of malnutrition especially labour and capital, poor production technology, poor storage facilities and marketing systems. There were, however additional impediment to food production arising from the residual effect of civil war was severe drought that followed (1972-1974). The effect of widening domestic food supply demand gap was reflected in rising food supply demand gap also reflected in rising food prices and an increase food import bill. (Information bal, F.M.A Lagos 1984) in response to the high alarming storage and marketing problem of farmer in Udim. It is domed fit to proffer solution and ensure sustainable food production while the dread disease in farming system of the group directly other would be affected also, and if government understands this critical study, the issues of decrease in the food production will become a history in Nigeria. If the Government should create enabling environments for the farmers with the view of facilitating increase I agricultural produce provision of necessary irrigation system, creation of land availability, establishment of marketing board for the farmer are very necessary and they should educate the marketers on how to store and market their produce finance the farmers by given them loans, grants and always paying attention to the farmers, it will ensure sustainable food production not only in Enugu state sustainable (Nkanu) but in Nigeria as a whole.
 1.2       STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
In agricultural produce, farmers and marketers pass through critical problems, especially on escalating lack of storage and marketing strategies to preserve and market available produce, this is precarious that farmers and marketers labour tirelessly in drain almost every season. During the harvesting periods, the farmers have abundance produce, pest and insects damages their farm yield in the area where those produce are being marketed. Economic pollution, tax force, armed rubbery including accidents possess stumbling bode to the nooks and cranny’s of the state. At times, the farmers are forced to sell their produce bellow the prevailing market price because they cannot afford to preserved it, to sell at a better price during the time of scarcity. It is a vivid fact that when there is plenteous harvest, the farmers uses it quickly, wastefully as a result of lack of adequate facilities that will enable them to sale subsequently at their own most advantages. In considering the above philosophies, I come across with the under listed question with a views of ascertaining what the storage and marketing problems of farm produce are in Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu state.
1)    What are the storage and marketing incentives and other material and human resources that farmers and marketers need for ideal storage and supplying of their product?
2)    Does government render storage and marketing help to the produces and marketers of consumable items, or does it mean that their concern is insufficient?
3)    Is it that there is management inefficiency of the produce available resource or the marketing board?
4)    What are the estimated costs of securing storage facilities and marketing environment, can poor farmers afford it?   
5)    Are the storage and marketing systems and other supporting services they should have utilized available or not or is it adulate?
6)    What are the likely benefits of the farmers and marketing of their produce and their possible losses for poor storage and marketing systems?
 1.3       OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
In a wider sense, the reason for this study is to identify and determine a way to achieve sustainable food production in Enugu state through effective and marketing system specifically. These are the objective of the study:
a)    To determine the factors that can lead to decline in rate of sufficient food production.
b)    To investigate the various factors facing the farmers in adoption of the new innovations.
c)    To determine the factors that can lead to decline in rate of sufficient food production.
d)    To access storage and marketing problems which adversely affect the productivities of farmer’s marketers in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu state?
e)    To check the level of storage and marketing infrastructural facilities.
f)     Facilities available to the producer and marketers in the area of study.
g)    To ascertain the adverse effect of pest and insects on the stored produce as well as government policies on marketing of those produce.
h)    To access the farmers and marketers level of education and ability to store and market their produce.
i)      To make possible findings and recommendations on low to improve storage and marketing strategies to span of the available food ensure adequate and sustainable food production in the study area and Enugu state at large.
 1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In order to be focused on reaching the destination of this study, the research work is carried out with the following questions.
a)    What are the storage and marketing systems of the farmers/marketers in Nkanu West Local Government Area Enugu state?
b)    In what ways has the system yielded sufficient production?
c)    Have commendable efforts been made to help and promote the effectiveness of the farmers and marketers and on what efforts?
d)    Are these efforts above the reach of the farmers and marketers?
e)    What are the roles played by the government in helping to actualized sustainable food production?
f)     What is the management related procedures adopted by the farmers and marketers in storing or selling their products?
g)    Are there any storage and marketing problems envisaged on the process of production and marketing particularly in Nkanu west?
h)    What are the necessary economic, political and social effects experienced on the process of production and marketing.
1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
As this study is emphasis on the ways of achieving sustainable food production in Enugu state through effective storage and marketing system, it will be preferred to the multifarious storage problems unapplied and making system to achieving sustainable food production in the area of study.
    The farmers and marketers will be enlightened with the ways out of their storage and marketing problems. Government would be challenged on the other hand to intervene over the impending danger of sleeping over the study; its outcome will not only serve as a reference material but also, would pass a pillar upon which a more articulated Agricultural and marketing sectors polices is built. The study is also very significant to the researcher as its successful completion is a precondition for the award of college Diploma certificate.
1.6       DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Sustainable: This is one of the predominant words in
this research study which are used to measure sustaining act of eating food to sustain life/energy (continuous food supply/production).
Productivity: This is a measure of the efficiency of
production. It is the ratio of productivity deals with the large or minimum quantity of output of the farmers and the companies which is offered for sale to the target market which can be bought by the marketing intermediary and the consumers.
Effective Storage System: This is a procedure which
is used to pool the life span of the available food products by the farmers and food productive industries in order to resale at their most advantageous period to maximize profit. This effective storage system always helps when there is abundance of farm produce to keep the farm produce till the period of scarcity.
Suppliers: This is described as an important link in the
companies over all customers values delivery system that provide the resources needed by the producer to produce its goods and services. They deals with the raw materials which need further processing before consumption.
L.G.A: This is local government area which implies the
geographical location where the research study are being conducted; it is used suffix to Nkanu West Local Government Area and some occasions written in full to express the same purpose.