ABSTRACT
The study investigated the exploratory analysis of agritourism development in Nigeria. It was carried out in the South-South (Tai Local Government Area in Rivers state and Abi Local Government Area in Cross River state) Region of the country so as to examine the synergistic relationship between the agritourism centers, the agritourists, the host communities, and their attendant benefits and impacts. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a total of two hundred and fifty (250) respondents. Data were analyzed using simple descriptive tools such as tables, frequencies and means, as well as inferential tools like Principal Component Analysis, correlation, entrepreneurial behavior index and Multinomial Probit (MNP) model. The results of the findings show that majority (55%) of the respondents stayed in their agritourism destinations for a period of 1-5 days. The results show that poultry, feed mill, bakery, processing, irrigation, agro-forestry and fishery units were the identified attractions. According to ranking, the irrigated crop unit was adjured to be most attractive. Findings further showed that economic impact was the most perceived benefits of agritourism on the host communities while sustainable development was the least perceived benefit. Conducive environment, relaxation, safety and visiting new places were the most rated factors for destination choice. The Multinomial Probit (MNP) model result shows that travel time, gender, state employed workers, distance and age of the agritourists reduced the probability of choosing air over road and sea travel modes while perceived service quality and monthly income increased the probability of choosing air over road and sea travel modes. The correlation results confirm that both overall satisfaction and switching barriers have significant effects on destination loyalty. The Entrepreneurial Behavior of the supervisors of agritourism centers show that with respect to innovativeness, decision making ability, achievement motivation, knowledge of operating agritourism centers, risk-taking and leadership ability, 63%, 55%, 50%, 45%, 68% and 65% respectively which represent the majority of the supervisors of agritourism centers fell within the high Entrepreneurial Behavior Index category except for innovativeness where the majority was in the medium category. The result shows problems facing the agritourism centers are lack of political will on the part of the government, poor funding, poor infrastructural development, high accommodation cost and safety and security issues. The need for the development of agritourism in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized as it could help in diversifying the economy, promote the tourism sector, increase our foreign exchange earnings and as well generate offseason income for farmers. There is the need to develop an encompassing agritourism policy if it has to be sustainable, equitable and responsive so as to contribute to the region’s economic development and in effect raise the quality of life of all her people. Agritourism strategy should concentrate on activities that help in improving the skills of local people and ensure local people’s work opportunity and encourage investment in physical infrastructure such as highways, railways, harbors for yielding more income and employment to the locals.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification
iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables ix
List of Figures x
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of Problem 2
1.3 Research Questions 3
1.4 Objectives of the Study 3
1.5 Research Hypotheses 4
1.6 Justification for the Study 4
1.7 Scope of the Study 5
1.8 Limitations of the
Study 5
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.1 Conceptual Framework 6
2.1.1 Concept of agritourism 6
2.1.2 Scope and types of agritourism 7
2.1.4 Classification of agritourism 8
2.2 Requirements for Agritourism
Development 10
2.8 Agritourism Potentials for Rural
Development 12
2.9 Problems of Agritourism 16
2.10 Theoretical Framework 16
2.11 Empirical Review 17
CHAPTER
3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study Area 20
3.2 Sampling Technique 21
3.3 Method of Data
Collection 21
3.4 Method of Data Analysis 21
3.4.1 Model specification 22
CHAPTER
4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Socioeconomic
Characteristics of the Agritourists 25
4.2 Agritourism
Profile of the Agritourists 26
4.3 Attractions of
Agritourism Centers 27
4.4 Perception of Host
Communities towards Agritourism 27
4.5 Perceived
Socio-Economic Impact of Agritourism on Host Communities 28
4.5.1 Social impact 29
4.5.1.1 Community empowerment 29
4.5.1.2 Community development 30
4.5.2 Economic impact 30
4.5.2.1 Increased income of the
local community 30
4.5.2.2 Intensifying and diversifying
economic activities 31
4.5.2.3 Employment
opportunities 32
4.5.2.4 Poverty alleviation 32
4.5.3 Sustainable development 32
4.5.3.1 Environment sustainability 32
4.6 Determinants
of Agritourists’ Decision-Making on Choosing an
Agritourism Destination 33
4.6.1 Ranking destination
preferences 33
4.7 Factors Affecting Agritourists’ Travel Mode 35
4.8 Relationship
between Switching Barriers, Satisfaction and Destination Loyalty 37
4.9 Entrepreneurial
Behaviour of the Supervisors of Agritourism Centers 39
4.11 Challenges that Limit Agritourism
Operations in the Study Area 42
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 45
5.2 Conclusion 48
5.3 Recommendations 49
References 50
Appendices
LIST
OF TABLES
Socioeconomic
characteristics of the agritourists 25
Agritourism profile
of the agritourists 26
Attractions of
agritourism centers 27
Analysis of the perception of host communities towards
agritourism 28
Perceived socio-economic impact of agritourism on host
communities 29
Mnp estimates of factors affecting
agritourists’ travel mode 35
Relationship between switching barriers,
satisfaction and destination loyalty 38
Entrepreneurial
behavior of the supervisors of agritourism centers 40
Overall
entrepreneurial behaviour of the supervisors of agritourism centers 42
Challenges that limit agritourism operations in the study area 43
LIST OF FIGURES
Ranking factors influencing destination preferences 34
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Agritourism is increasingly becoming a
vital alternative farming activity that diversifies
the economic base, provides educational opportunities to tourists, and provides greater community cohesion, that is, a
synergistic relationship between the agritourists, the rural people, their life
and culture (Ilbery, Bowler, Clark,
Crockett and Shaw, 1998). Agritourism is a product of pluriactivity in agriculture which involves
integrating the farm with some tourism activities (Brandth and Haugen, 2011). Although
defining agritourism has proven difficult (Holdnak and Pennington-Gray, 2000),
it is generally understood that agritourism should account for
at least 25% of the farming operations revenue and serve
as the secondary focus of operation, that is, the point
at which persons (agritourists) are allowed to visit the farm at a price.
Agritourism may be any form of
farm-based tourism operation that provides economic benefits to the farm
owner(s) and provides on-farm entertainment, activity, or products for
visitors. In agritourism, a native or local farmer offers tours to their
agriculture farm to allow visitors to view them growing, harvesting, and
processing locally grown crops such as maize, sorghum or any produce the person
would not come across in their areas. Often, the farmers would provide
farm-stay opportunities including educational programs and recreational
activities (Nilsson, 2002; Weaver and Fennell, 1997). The main qualification
for the rural farmer who expects to make a living through agritourism is the
one that is willing and able to cater for visitors and meet their expectations
of a farm visit (Nuntsu, Tassiopoulos and Haydam, 2004; Adam, 2004).
According to Griver (2009), agritourism is a global trend
which provides city dwellers an opportunity to escape from urban concrete
environment and rediscover their roots in rural areas with farming. Agritourism
could bring about a uniting connection between countries and also between
diverse cultures but despite these immense benefits, this sector is grossly
underutilized and underinvested in Nigeria (Nigerian
Tourism Development Corporation, 2014). These and
many more, this study seeks to address.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
This study “Exploratory Analysis of Agritourism Development in Nigeria: A Study of Songhai Farms in the South-South
Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria” is motivated by the disturbing need to determine
why the federal and state governments of Nigeria have not tapped into the bliss
agritourism presents despite the beauty and richness of the nation’s tourism
landscape such as the weather, climate, vegetation, quality airspace, sunshine,
beautiful scenery, the rock, water-falls, captivating beaches, historical
relics, rich cultural diversity and wildlife which is a global tourist
attraction and necessary for the promotion of
agritourism.
The
thrust of this research is also to determine if agritourism is a worthwhile
venture since it is highly capital intensive as huge funds are required to run
the primary agribusiness operations mostly on a large expanse of land and most
importantly, capital is highly needed to cater for the needs (health care,
feeding, housing etc.) of the visitors (agritourists) since they are meant to
be on the farm for a while.
Also, the essence of this research is to expose the
beauty and benefit of agritourism since many Nigerians do not see the need for
vacations, going for picnics or involving in recreational activities.
This
study is motivated also by the certainty that the tourism sector with its immense
benefits is one of Africa’s greatest under invested assets, with market worth
of $50 billion, but has $203.7 billion of untapped potential which represents
four times its current level (Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, 2014).
Nigeria is not investing so much in the tourism sector let alone the
agritourism sub-sector with domestic tourism
market worth estimated at US$4billion (Nigerian Tourism Development
Corporation, 2014). This is as a result of the fact that the federal government
of Nigeria sees agritourism as sector not giving immediate returns to the
economy when compared to crude oil. Also, individuals and companies do run away
from such investments because they believe they have longer gestation periods.
It is on this basis, that the study explored the development of agritourism in
Nigeria, from the view point of south-south based Songhai
farms.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This research was hinged on the following questions, that is, what:
- are the socioeconomic and agritourism profile of agritourists?
- are the attractions of agritourism centers to agritourists in
the study area?
- is the perception of host communities towards agritourism in
the study area?
- are the perceived socio-economic impacts of agritourism on host
communities?
- are the determinants of agritourists’ decision-making on
choosing an agritourism destination?
- are the factors
affecting agritourists’ travel mode?
- is the relationship between switching barriers, satisfaction
and destination loyalty?
- is the entrepreneurial behavior of supervisors of agritourism
centers?
- are the challenges that limit agritourism operations in the
study area?
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of this study was to explore agritourism
development in Nigeria, from the view point of Songhai
farms based in the south-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
The specific objectives are to:
- describe the socioeconomic and agritourism profile of the
agritourists;
- identify the attractions of agritourism centers to
agritourists;
- examine the perception of host communities towards agritourism
in the study area;
- analyze the perceived socio-economic impact of agritourism on
host communities;
- ascertain the determinants of agritourists’ decision-making on
choosing an agritourism destination;
- analyze the factors affecting
agritourists’ travel mode;
- examine the relationship between switching barriers,
satisfaction and destination loyalty;
- determine the entrepreneurial behavior of supervisors of
agritourism centers;
- identify the challenges that limit agritourism operations in
the study area.
1.5 RESEARCH
HYPOTHESES
In this study, the following hypotheses were tested:
Ho1: Agritourists’ decision to visit agritourism centers is not significantly affected by annual income,
location of agritourism centers and good
road networks.
Ho2: Entrepreneurial behavior of the supervisors of agritourism centers is not significantly affected by innovativeness, decision making ability, achievement motivation,
knowledge of operating agritourism centers, risk taking ability and leadership
ability.
1.6 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY
The growing economic difficulties and risks involved in the farming industries
in many countries of the world, has made many farmers especially those who have
small-scale, family-owned farms understand the necessity of supplementing their
agricultural business model and finding new ways of generating income. Thus,
agritourism could bridge this gap by contributing to the overall income, cash
flow and financial gains of a farm by providing offseason income via farm products,
farm tours and farming activities (Colton and Bissix, 2005; Huybers, 2007;
Keith, Rilla, George, Lobo, Tourte and Ingram,
2003; Sharply, 2002).
Most Nigerians do not see agriculture as a business that
involves some level of agricultural connections. Genuine agribusiness is void
of subsistence and if this is achieved, the secondary focus of operation could
be tied to it, which is the ability to cater for paying visitors (agritourists)
at the farm. This would certainly drive any economy, ours inclusive. It is from
this foregoing backdrop that this study is justified.
This research work will be of immense benefit to rural
farmers including small-scale farmers, enabling them to be aware and take
advantage of agritourism as an extra source of income.
This research work will be of immense benefit also to individuals
and various state governments so as to enable them see the profitability of
investing in agritourism.
The study will also contribute to knowledge since there is a gap
with respect to studies and literature on agritourism development in Nigeria.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
In view of the need for an effective research work, this study was
narrowed down to agritourism development in Tai local
government area of Rivers state and Abi local government area in Cross River
state, where the Songhai farms are situated in the chosen states.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Though efforts were made
to make this work successful, this research was faced with constraints such as:
i.
Inadequate
finance and paucity of relevant literature. Since the work wasn’t funded, the
issue of finance was addressed by using personal fund and cutting costs. The
issue of paucity of relevant literature was addressed by making good use of the
literature accessed for the study.
ii.
The
supervisors of the agritourism centers were skeptical about releasing certain
information especially those bothering on their profit performance and staff
strength. These constraints were addressed by redirecting the focus of the
study on other bothering issues in the work and expunging the objectives
centering on profit performance and staff strength.
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