Abstract

The diverse uses and demands for cassava products have impact on rural households hence this study was carried out to determine the effect of engagement in cassava value addition activities on rural households in Saki-East Local Government Area of Oyo State. Data were collected on respondents? personal characteristics, source of information, various forms of value addition activities, benefit of value addition of cassava on rural household and various constraints faced by cassava farmers. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select sample of 120 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at p =0.05. The mean age was 43 years with standard deviation of 17.23 years and mean household size of 5 persons with standard deviation of 3.81 persons. Majority of the respondents (74.2%) were female and married (62.5%), 44.2%, 46.7% and 43.4% were Christians, had secondary education and had more than 20 years of processing experience. Various forms of cassava value addition activities respondents engaged in were garri, fufu, lafun, starch, livestock feed, flour, chips and tapioca. Benefit of cassava value addition activities were mostly on increase in household food security (80.8%), increase in income (66.7%) and generation of employment for rural dwellers (58.3%). The respondents had low level of benefit. Major constraints faced by respondents were inadequate capital (63.1%), transportation problem (50.8%) and low level of cassava tuber production (41.7%). Respondents? age (?2=5.72), household size (?2=6.69) and marital status (?2=2.14) were significantly related to the benefit derived from engagement in value addition activities. In spite of various cassava value addition activities respondents engaged in, respondents? level of benefit was low. The study recommends that adequate credit facilities should be provided. There is also the need for farmers to be encouraged to venture into more cassava tuber production so that raw materials for processing will be readily available

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