Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

Kolanut production plays a vital role in Nigeria’s agricultural economy, serving as both a source of income for rural farmers and a significant export commodity. Despite its importance, production faces challenges arising from socio-economic factors and climate variability. The study examined the socio-economic determinants of kolanut production in Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 90 respondents, and data were collected through a well-structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for analysis. Results showed that males constituted 65.5% of respondents with a mean age of 57.7 years; 44.5% had engaged in kolanut production for 16–20 years. About 54.4% had access to credit, while 94.4% had access to farmland on average of 7.7 acres. Majority (86.7%) reported that climate change reduced profitability, while 66.7% linked it to increased pest and disease incidence. Regression analysis revealed that age (β = -2.185, p < 0.01), farming experience (β = 9.248, p < 0.01), household size (β = -16.552, p < 0.01), farm size (β = 13.822, p < 0.01), labour (β = 0.003, p < 0.01), and selling price (β = 0.001, p < 0.05) significantly influenced production. The study concludes that kolanut production remains a viable agribusiness but is constrained by socio-economic and climatic factors, recommending government and stakeholder interventions through climate education, financial literacy, and irrigation adoption to enhance productivity, also policy measures focusing on farmer climate-smart agricultural practices are recommended.