1.1  BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Atiba local government area of Oyo State in the western part of Nigeria is known for their agricultural practices; cassava is one of the agricultural products that can be found in this area of oyo state. cassava is one of the agricultural products that are consumed by both the rich and the poor; Atiba local government area is among the rural areas in Nigeria that survive mostly through the sales of agricultural products; the agricultural development programs plays a major role in the motivation of the practice of farming in these rural areas of Nigeria; the federal government of Nigeria have put up so many agricultural programs with aims of eradicating poverty in Nigeria especially the people in the rural area of Nigeria.

The people of Atiba local government area is known for their fertile land; production of cassava and fish farming; the federal government of Nigeria wishes to improve the standard of living in this area of Oyo State. The agricultural programs plays a major role in the growth and development of the Nigeria economy through agriculture; some of these agricultural programs includes: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Agricultural Development programmes (ADP), Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the National Economic Empowerment and Development (NEED); all these are for the growth and development of agriculture in Nigeria but for the purpose of the research work, we shall focus on the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP); this programme was established by the federal government of Nigeria in the year 1963 after independence; the main aim of this programme was to increase the production of agricultural products in Nigeria and to increase the income of most farmers that operates on a small scale through the provision of assistance such as giving them fertilizers, improved seed for good harvest; this programme have being of great important to both the small and medium scale farmers in Nigeria. according to (Ajayi and Ajala, 1997; Garba, 2010; Akpabio, 2017) they stated that the agricultural programme aimed at increasing food production for rural dwellers and raising the income level of small-scale farmers by making provision for improved seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, credit facilities and infra- structural facilities. From the time of inception of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in Atiba Local government area of Oyo State, the research work has examined the impact it has made in Atiba local government area of Oyo State. the study will discuss the impact of the ADP in the lives of the farmers of Atiba local government areas of Oyo State. according to the (economist 2014, 2015) the major problem of the rural area is lack of good infrastructure; the study will not only look at the impact of ADP but it will also examine its existence and impact on the agricultural development in Atiba local government area of Oyo State.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The people of Atiba local government area of Oyo State perform poorly in the agricultural sector because of lack of funds to purchase some of the farming tools such as fertilizers, sprayers and other machineries; the federal government od Nigeria through the ADP have made so much effect to improve the standard of agricultural practices in Atiba local government area of Oyo State; outside the oil sector; considering the non-oil sector of Nigeria, agricultural sector is the major contributor the growth and development of the Nigeria economy. According to (Ekpo and Egwaikhide 1994; Oyejide 1998; Okoruwa et al 2003); the Nigeria agricultural export commodities contributed over 75% of the total annual merchandise exports.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the roles of the Agricultural Development Programme in the growth and development of Nigeria?

2. Does the Agricultural Development Programme have significant impact on the level of agricultural practice in Atiba local government area?

3. What aid does the ADP give to the people of Atiba local government area of Oyo State as motivation to the practice of agriculture?

4. Is cassava farming more profitable than other cash crops?

5. Does the ADP have significant effect on cassava farming in Atiba local government area of Oyo State?

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H0: There is no significant relationship between the Agricultural Development Programme and cassava farming in Atiba local government area of Oyo State.

H1: There is a significant relationship between the Agricultural Development Programme and cassava farming in Atiba local government area of Oyo State.

H0: There is no significant relationship between agricultural development programme and decrease in the provision of fertilizer for farmers for the provision of food crops in Atiba local government area of Oyo state.

H1: There is significant relationship between agricultural development programme and decrease in the provision of fertilizer for farmers for the provision of food crops in Atiba local government area of Oyo state.

1.5 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The very aim of the research work is to determine:

1. The roles of the Agricultural Development Programme in the growth and development of Nigeria.

2. The impact of Agricultural Development Programme on the level of agricultural practice in Atiba local government area.

3. The aid the ADP gives to the people of Atiba local government area of Oyo State as motivation to the practice of agriculture.

5. If the ADP have significant effect on cassava farming in Atiba local government area of Oyo State.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research work is a very important one as it will discuss the impact of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and cassava farming in Atiba Local government Area of Oyo state; the study will will reveal the role of the ADP in the growth and development of agriculture in Nigeria. The benefit of agricultural practices will be discuss in detail; finally the research work will show the relationship between the Agricultural Development Program and cassava farming in Atiba local government area in Oyo State.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study will focus on the appraisal of agricultural development programme (ADP) and cassava farming in Atiba local government area from 2007 to 2015.

1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS: Due to insufficient finance; the researcher was not able to go all the areas of Atiba local government area of Oyo State but with the few places covered the researcher was able to get meaningful responses from the respondents concerning the impact of ADP on cassava farming.

TIME CONSTRAINTS: The researcher’s involvement in other departmental activities left him or her with limited time for the research work, but the researcher was able to meet up with the time scheduled for the presentation of the research work.

1.9 DEFINITION OF RELATED TERMS

APPRAISAL: In accordance to the research topic appraisal is simply an act of assessing the impact of the agricultural development program.