Question

Difficulty: HardInferential Comprehension and Deduction

Read the passage below carefully and answer the question that follows:

For decades, cassava processing hubs across Ogun State generated vast mounds of wet peels, discarded as environmental pollutants that fouled local waterways and emitted pungent gases. In recent years, however, bioprocessing initiatives introduced commercial drying and sorting techniques that convert these perishable peels into high-density, unadulterated animal feed cakes. This innovation has drastically reduced the poultry industry's reliance on expensive imported maize. Yet, smallholder livestock farmers in neighboring rural districts remain hesitant to switch to cassava-based mash. Their reluctance stems not from skepticism regarding the feed's nutritional equivalence, but from the unreliability of rural transport networks, which frequently causes supply delays during the peak rainy season. Consequently, feed distributors must maintain costly buffer stocks of traditional maize mash to cushion against logistics bottlenecks, offsetting some of the projected cost savings of the bioprocessing initiative.

Based on the passage, what can be inferred about the primary obstacle to the widespread adoption of cassava peel feed among rural livestock farmers?

  1. Deficiencies in transport infrastructure prevent rural farmers from depending on a steady supply of the alternative feed.Answer
  2. B
    Rural livestock farmers doubt that cassava peel mash provides equal nutritional value compared to maize feed.
  3. C
    Bioprocessing hubs have failed to produce feed cakes of adequate quality for commercial livestock operations.
  4. D
    Feed distributors are forced to halt cassava feed processing entirely throughout the peak rainy season.

Answer

Deficiencies in transport infrastructure prevent rural farmers from depending on a steady supply of the alternative feed.
The correct answer is supported by the passage's explanation that rural farmers hesitate to adopt the cassava mash because unreliable transport networks cause frequent supply delays during the rainy season. This logically implies that poor transportation infrastructure prevents farmers from relying on a continuous feed supply.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stem requirement
Identify the implicit cause of rural livestock farmers' reluctance to adopt cassava peel feed.
Inferential comprehension requires synthesizing implicit context rather than finding direct verbatim statements.
2
Examine textual evidence regarding farmer reluctance
The passage highlights that reluctance comes from 'the unreliability of rural transport networks, which frequently causes supply delays'.
This establishes that the core issue is inconsistent delivery caused by weak transport systems.
3
Deduce the logical conclusion
Inconsistent delivery due to poor transport networks means farmers cannot rely on a continuous, dependable supply of feed.
Connecting transport unreliability with supply delays yields the valid inference regarding infrastructure deficiencies.

Key Concept

Inferential Comprehension and Deduction
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