This study was focused on the economics of adoption of adoption of recommended oil palm production technologies in south east, Nigeria. There is global paucity of research on the economics and adoptability of oil palm production technologies in developing countries with only few extension projects in Nigeria. The supply of oil palm products, which is a major staple food in Nigeria, has not matched up with the demand. It is expected that increase in adoption of oil palm production technologies will scale-up oil palm production and reduce poverty and increase food safety net in Nigeria. The importance of oil palm in National and World Food Economics underscores the need for the intensification of research efforts on the crop. The failure of the current palm oil output to meet domestic demand and leave a surplus for export in spite of the available technologies to boost production could be attributed to slow rate of the expansion and exploitation of the existing plantings. This is as a result of failure to accept and use available oil palm development and management technologies, the adoption of which would have brought about optimal yield increase. This study would provide current information that will help guide farmers in decision-making, agricultural extension practitioners, researchers and the government in formulating functional policies towards finding solution to sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. Also, institutions and organizations such as the ADPs, NIFOR, Universities etc and students involved in oil palm research and improvement may find the work handy. The study was carried out using a proportional random sampling of oil palm farmers. Data were collected and analyzed descriptively using percentages, frequencies, tables, etc. The major findings of this study are that adoption of oil palm production technologies in the study areas is low but profitable; funds/capital are important in adoption of recommended oil palm production technologies, and that household size and cost of innovation are important variables that affect adoption. In view of this, encouragement of farmers with large household size to participate actively in adoption of oil palm production technologies, the provision of credit/input to farmers, are among the recommendations made.
Keywords: Nature of agriculture, Oil Palm, adoption of innovation concept of technology and structure of production, economics of adoption
