Abstract

The study investigated various areas of sharp practices among cocoa farmers in Nigeria, in an attempt to deduce the implications to sustainable improvement of cocoa production and trade. More specifically, it examined the socio-economic characteristics, determines levels of sharp practices, and establish the relationships that exist between cocoa practices and their yield, quality and health. A set of pre-tested questionnaire was used to solicit information from 600 respondents that were selected through multistage sampling procedure from five geo-political zones where cocoa on commercial grown basis. Results showed that majority (94%) male dominated cocoa farming while 81.5% were literate and a mean age of 48.6+14.0 years. It also revealed that 67.5% aknowledged to high level sharp practices. However, there were negative and significant relationship between sharp practices and yield r=-0.138; quality r=-0.172; and health r=-0.156; at p<0.01. This implies that as cocoa farmers? sharp practices increases, their yield, quality and health decreases. Though increase in sub-standard bean yield has a negative consequence to sustainable cocoa farm practices and trade, hence efforts should be made to change farmers? operational behaviour for improved yield.

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