The Application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in Cassava Production In Abia State, Nigeria

Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) is a root crop cultivated and consumed as a staple food in most developing world. This research examined the application of principal component analysis (PCA) in Cassava Production In Abia State, Nigeria. PCA is a statistical instrument able to identify the variables explaining most variation within a sample. A multi stage random sampling was used for the purpose of the study. The PCA employed in the analysis have substantially reduced the set of 19 socio-economic variables into 8 major orthogonal components. These orthogonal variable were age of farmer (X1), level of education (X2) family size (X3) farm size (X4) man day of family labour engage (X5) source of labour (X6) land acquisition (X7) and purchase of improved seedlings (X8); meanwhile only X1, X2, X3 and X4 were significant variables affecting cassava production in the study area. Since only the aged ones are majorly involved in cassava production in the study area based on the result of the analysis, the government should launch campaigns and policies that will attract youths to cassava farming to save the future of cassava production; because those on farm presently are ageing and tired as revealed in the study with average age of cassava farmer to be 59 years.