CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
        The aim of this project is to in-deptly looked into the adverse effect of fuel scarcity on farm produce as a case study in Ovia South East Local Government with a view to make known much to individual and the  government on how much this development has taken it heavy toll on farm produce in both marketing and cultivation as well as how this trend can be put under control.
        Until the early 70’s the main stay of Nigeria economy was Agriculture. Then the country (Nigeria) was fame for her proficiency in the production and exportation of groundnut, oil palm, cocoa beans, pepper, sugar cane, kola nut, bitter kola, cassava and so many other produce. These produce were known to be the only source of income to Nigeria.
        Not until 15th January (1958) when oil was discovered in Nigeria specifically Okolobiri in Bayelsa state, this discovering of oil in commercial quantity brought about radical change in the economy of the nation (Nigeria) all other sectors seemed to have gone into extinction, indeed were abandoned therefore making the country to become totally dependent on crude oil for foreign exchange earnings, not agriculture anymore. But with about 166.2 million people in Nigeria today, it’s certain that man must eat, clothes himself and will also need to satisfy one or more needs from farm products. For agriculturalist to carter for these numbers by producing food for sales, and reserve for the next planting seasons, the practice of producing food in bulk in agriculture must change from mere subsistence farming system to mechanization. The term mechanization means the practice of agriculture by way of using modern machines to facilitate farm works and to maximize product within a short period of time.
        It’s not gainsay to say that modern farm machines depends on fuel to function because our modern global food system is highly oil dependent  even though petroleum is getting higher daily and becoming less and less affordable. And it’s also all true that virtually every operation in agriculture totally depends on machines.
        According to normal .J. (2000) in a book titled “Eating oil” he said that the modern commercial farm miracle that feed all of us and much of the rest of the world is completely depend on the flow, processing and distribution of oil.
        He further added oil refined for gasoline and diesel is critical to run the tractors, combines and other farm vehicles and equipment that plant, spray the herbicides and pesticides and harvest/ transport food and seed, and more  also, it’s all true virtually every operation carry out in nowadays agricultural practice depends on machines beginning from bush clearing, wood feeling, soil plugging, harrowing, fertilizer application, harvesting, application of pesticides, grading of products transportation and so many others areas. If these aforementioned areas suffered west back as a result of fuel scarcity, you will agree with me that at the of the day, nothing will be done to produce food or farm product that will be equal to carter for the upsurge population, or if fuel that is supposed to be available and affordable to power these areas. Earlier mentioned is not easily gotten, or gotten at a very high cost, it’s certain that the  little that will be produce at the end of the day as a result of fuel scarcity will now take it tolls on the selling price. Even the farmers that does rely on his strength to produce food for sale will equally have his own share of fuel scarcity as it will not go down well with the price of food production haven’t spent much money on transportation fro farm to the market is expected that this development will hike up the price of produce supplied to the market and this will in no doubt bring.