Assessment of Sources of Agricultural Information on Adoption of Maize Production Technologies in Ardo-Kola local Government Area, Taraba state, Nigeria (Published)
The study assessed the sources of agricultural information on adoption of maize production technologies in Ardo-Kola Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling techniques were used to select respondents for the study. In the first stage, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) block in the local government area is known as Iware block were considered for the study. Stage two, all the cell in the extension block were considered for the study. Stage three, it involve systematic sampling of twenty (20) respondents from each of the eight (8) cells were selected by taking respondents randomly. In all, a total of one hundred and sixty respondents as mummarized and 150 filled questionnaires were returned. Descriptive statistics and multiple regressions were used to analyse the information collected from the area. The result showed that many (67.33%) of the sampled farmers sourced their information from extension agents. The result of the socio-economic characteristics of maize framers revealed that 39.30% of the respondents falls within 36 – 50 years of age, most of them are on active and productive. Regression result shows that the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.89, implying that (89%) of the variations in sources of Agricultural Information in the adoption of maize technologies were explained by the variables in the model. The result revealed that eight out of the twelve variables estimated positive and economic, economentive and statistically significant at 5 level. The study recommends that provision of information resources center in the rural area is of paramount important in order to facilitate easy access to agricultural information among farmers in the study area.
Keywords: Adoption, Technologies, extension
Analysis of factors influencing sustainable adoption of improved maize technologies among smallholder farmers in Ugenya Sub-County, Kenya (Published)
Most smallholder farmers who account for more than 70% of the maize produced in Kenya are perpetually food insecure and stuck below poverty level. Sustained maize yield increase largely depends on long term adoption of modern farming technology. However, despite the high yields associated with modern maize technology promotion during and shortly after implementation phase of many projects, sustainability of the technologies still remains a challenge for smallholder maize producers in Kenya. The objective of this study was to analyse factors that influence sustainable adoption of maize technologies beyond the promotion phase among smallholder farmers in Ugenya Sub-County. An ex post facto research was carried out where one hundred and eighty eight smallholder farmers were selected through simple random sampling from purposively selected study population in Ugenya Sub-County. The data was subjected to Independent 2-Sample T-Test and multiple regression analysis. Maize yields obtained by inputs subsidy beneficiaries and non beneficiaries during post-subsidy support phase were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Except for on-farm labour availability and farmer’s farming experience (p<0.05) all other socio-economic, technical, management and institutional factors known to influence farming technology adoption had no significant influence on average maize yield (p>0.05) in the study area. The study recommended that smallholder farmers should operate under a functional structure such as farmers’ association that will support timely access to key factors of production, optimize on benefits of the economies of scale, enforce sustainable practices and serve as a linkage to key enterprise value chain actors.
Keywords: Adoption, Smallholder, Sustainable, Technologies
Factors Influencing Adoption of Gum Arabic Production Technologies in Gombe State, Nigeria (Published)
This study examined the factors influencing adoption of gum arabic production technologies in Gombe state, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to: describe the socio – economic characteristics of gum arabic farmers and identify factors influencing adoption of gum arabic production technologies. Primary data were used which were collected from 46 registered gum arabic farmers who were members of National Association of Gum Arabic Producers, Processors and Exporters of Nigeria (NAGAPPEN) Gombe state chapter. Descriptive statistics and multiple regressions were used for the analysis. The results revealed that 93.5% of the respondents were males, 97.7 were, married, and a mean age of forty nine years old, attended tertiary institutions and earned ₦M3.04 annually. Multiple regressions revealed that age (X2) educational (X5), income(X7), farming experience(X8) farm size(X9), and access to extension (X10) were significant at varying levels and positively influence the adoption of gum arabic production technologies except age which has a negative influence. Increased government supports through sustained provision of inputs were therefore recommended among others.
Keywords: Adoption, Factors Influencing, Technologies