EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE GROWTH RATE OF MAIZE PRODUCTION IN THE PRE SAP, SAP AND POST SAP PERIODS IN NIGERIA

This study was carried out to provide empirical evidence on the growth rates of maize production in three sub periods in Nigeria namely pre Structural Adjustment Programme period, Structural Adjustment Program period and post Structural Adjustment Programme period. Secondary data on maize production in Nigeria during the Pre Structural Adjustment Programme period (1970 to 1985), Structural Adjustment period (1986 to 1994) and post Structural Adjustment Programme period (1995 to 2007) were employed in this study. A growth rate model was used to estimate the growth rates of maize in the three sub periods. The results of the analysis showed that the instantaneous growth rates of maize production are 0.1%, 5.7% and 2.4 % and the compound rates of growth of maize production are 0.001%, 0.059% and 0.024% for the pre Structural Adjustment Programme, Structural Adjustment Programme and post Structural Adjustment Programme periods respectively. The higher compound growth rate of maize production in the Structural Adjustment Programme period implies that the policy reforms in the period was more effective in ensuring increased growth of maize production over that of other periods in Nigeria. Therefore, despite the myriads of problems associated with the programme in Nigeria, it was beneficial to maize production in Nigeria.