Socioeconomic Constraints on Plant Disease Management among Cassava Farmers in Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria

Effective plant disease management in cassava production systems is constrained not only by pathological complexity but also by socioeconomic factors that shape farmers' capacity to respond to disease threats. In Ebonyi State, a leading cassava-producing state in South East Nigeria, understanding these socioeconomic constraints is essential for designing interventions that achieve practical uptake. This professional study investigated the socioeconomic determinants of plant disease management behaviour among cassava farmers across five local government areas of Ebonyi State using a structured household survey of 250 farming families. Survey instruments addressed income levels, land ownership, access to extension advice, distance to input markets, household decision-making authority, and historical disease management expenditure. Logistic regression analysis identified household income, access to extension services, and cooperative membership as the strongest positive predictors of improved disease management practice adoption. Female-headed households showed significantly lower rates of fungicide and certified planting material adoption, attributed to restricted access to credit and input markets. Farmers located more than 15 kilometres from the nearest agro-input retailer were 3.2 times less likely to apply chemical controls for Cassava Mosaic Disease or Cassava Bacterial Blight. The study identifies market proximity, credit access, and gender-inclusive extension programming as priority intervention areas. Recommendations include establishment of village-level certified planting material distribution points and gender-targeted agricultural advisory programmes. Keywords: cassava, disease management, socioeconomic constraints, Ebonyi State, extension.