Agricultural Commodities and Economic Growth in Nigeria (Published)
This study investigates the determinants of macroeconomic variables that affect agricultural production in Nigeria. Time – series data, covering the period of 1986 -2016, United States reports, were used. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression technique was fitted to the data. Result showed that corn output has a positive relationship with agricultural output. Millet, rice and palm oil also have positive relationships with total agricultural output. The individual test revealed that corn has no significant impact on agricultural output while millet has a significant impact on agricultural output within the period under study. Thus, this study recommends that there is need to improve on the agricultural practice level of farmers in Nigeria through extension education, so as to achieve food security and conserve the resource base. This should be the intensified and geared towards making farmers to become more aware and understand the consequences of use of more external inputs on their resource base, and the inherent benefits associated with the use of more internal inputs in food production. Improve agricultural production, processing and trade through increased access to resources such as land, technology (improved inputs) credit, and training.
Keywords: Farmers, Food Security, Land, Palmoil, Rice, corn, millet