Formulating Optimal Farm Plans with Child Farm Labour Reduction for Arable Crop Farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria: An Application of Linear Programming and T-MOTAD Models

This study formulates optimum farm plans with child farm labour reduction in the face of risk and uncertainties for arable crop farmers in Akwa Ibom State. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. A structured questionnaire was employed to obtain information from one hundred and fifty (150) stratified randomly selected arable crop farmers in rural communities of Akwa Ibom State. Linear Programming and Target-MOTAD (Minimization of Total Absolute Deviation) models were used to analyze the data. Eleven major crop enterprises were identified as the existing crop plans in the study area with average net return of N275247.03 for the State, The value of the normative (Plan IV) (single goal optimum net return) for an average farmer was N514110.4, indicating an increase of 86.78%, over the existing plans (Plan 1) This plan recommended the cultivation of four crop enterprises Cassava/Melon (Ca/Me) (0.10 ha), Cassava / Melon / Cocoyam (Ca/Me/Cc) (1.11 ha), Yam / Maize / Pumpkin (Y/Mz/) (0.61 ha), and Yam / Maize / Cocoyam (Y/Mz/Cc) (0.34ha)The net returns in the two risk efficient plans II and III were N467506.2 and N455565.8 respectively. This showed an increase of 69.84% and 65.51% above the existing plan and a decrease of 9.06% and 11.39% below the profit maximizing plan IV. The alternative risk efficient farm plans II and III prescribed the cultivation of Cassava/Melon/Cocoyam (Ca/Me/Cc) (0.52 ha, 0.52 ha), Cassava / Melon (Ca/Me) (0.10 ha, 0.11 ha),Cassava / Maize / Pumpkin (Ca/Mz/P) (0.83 ha, 0.79 ha), Yam / Maize / pumpkin (Y/Mz/P) (0.23 ha, 0.21 ha), and Yam / Maize/ Cocoyam (Y/Mz/Cc) (0.33 ha, 0.32 ha). Capital was the only limiting resource in the study area. The study showed that farmers existing level of returns were not optimal. It is recommended that the farmers adopt the prescribed farm plans in the study to improve their farm income and minimize risk. Farmers should be assisted and encouraged to form cooperative societies and other functional groups to raise capital and provide farm labour during critical farm operations. The existing laws on free and compulsory education and the child right act in the State should be strengthened and enforced to ensure that children are not withdrawn from schools for farm work.