Drivers of Land Share and Allocation in a Multiple Crops Farming in Southwest, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Inappropriate optimization of land allocation among crop stands has led to inadequate land use resulting in unexpected crop yields. In consequence, this study examined the drivers of land share and allocation among specific food crops cultivated by smallholder farmers in southwest Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A sample size of 346 respondents was picked by a multi-stage sampling procedure across the selected 5 agricultural zones in Southwest Nigeria. Primary data were collected through interview schedules and questionnaire administration. The analytical tools were descriptive statistics, (at 95% confidence interval), fractional multinomial logit, and multivariate regression. Results: The findings identified maize, cassava, and vegetables (okra) as the most crops grown in multiple. The average farm size was 7.67 ha, and the percentage average proportions of land allocated were 34.83% for maize, 34.90% for cassava, and 27.01% for okra. The estimates of fractional multinomial logit were robust and significant at (p<0.001), with the share of land allocated to maize being the base outcome, while cropping intensity (p<0.003), access to credit (p<0.000), and extension service (p<0.001) are the determinants of land allocation for maize, cassava, and okra, respectively. Also, the multivariate regression revealed that the output of maize and okra were significantly influenced by the land allocated to each crop at (p<0.004) and (p<0.005), respectively. Conclusion: The share of land among various food crops is driven by farmers’ education, credit access, extension services, and cropping intensity while the aggregate output of individual crops is determined by their land shares and the crop’s share of land as well as extension contact. It recommended a precise share of land space for the specific crops grown in combination for viable crop growth and optimum yields.