Analysis of factors influencing adoption of okra production technologies among farmers in Enugu state, Nigeria

Abstract

Socio-economic factors influencing adoption of okra technology packages in Enugu State, Nigeria was studied and analyzed in 2012. Purposive and multistage random sampling techniques were used in selecting communities, villages and Okra farmers. The sample size was 90 okra farmers (45Awgu and 45 Aninri Okra famers). Data for the study was analyzed with descriptive statistics and multiple regression (Linear) models. The result indicates that Okra farming was dominated by females (51%). The mean household size for both farmers was 8 years (Awgu Okra farmers) and 7 years (Aninri Okra farmers) with farming experience of 27.41years and 28.56 years for Awgu and Aninri Okra farmers respectively. Awgu Okra farmers had mean farm sizes of 1.05 hectares as against 1.07 hectares for Aninri Okra farmers. The mean annual farm income for Awgu farmers was 129,543 NGN and 131,540.00N for Aninri farmers, while both farmer groups were visited by extension workers 5 times in a month. The result also showed that the farmers in the two LGA’s adopted all okra technology packages such as site selection/land preparation, variety grown, planting dates, spacing, weeding techniques, method and rate of fertilizer application, methods of pests and disease control and farmers choices on time of harvesting and preservation. The Linear regression estimates of the determinants of farmer’s adoption showed that coefficients of farm income, farm size and extension contacts were positively signed in both LGA’s, while education and farming experience were positive and household size negative in Agwu LGA as gender and age were negative in Aninri LGA. Non access to credit, pest and disease infestation and poor extension services were problems affecting okra production in the study. Policies aimed at encouraging farmers’ access to credit, extension education, formation of farmer group and provisions of rural infrastructure were advocated for increased okra production.

Keywords: adoption, determinants, okra, technologies, farmers