Socio-economic determinants of the adoption of improved yam production technologies in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the adoption of improved yam production technologies by farmers in Imo State during the 2012 /2013 cropping season. 60 Yam farmers were selected from the three agricultural zones in the state using multi-stage random sampling technique. The mean age of yam farmers was 55.6 years, mean number of members of the family available for yam production was 5.4 , their mean farm size was 2.53hectares, mean farm size devoted to improved yam production was 1.08 hectares, mean farming experience was 32.2 years, while mean income per annum was ₦121,217.00. The rate of adoption of the improved yam production technologies in the state was 42.1%. The results of the linear multiple regression analysis showed that educational level was negatively and significantly associated with adoption. The farm size was positively and significantly associated with adoption. There was no clear cut relationship that existed between adoption and age of farmers, gender, farming experience, family labour, and frequency of extension visits.

The R² was 0.742 indicating that the independent variables in the model can explain about 74.2% of the variability in adoption of improved yam production technologies in the study area. The F-ratio was 16.00 and significant at 1% level which implies goodness of fit of the regression line.

Formal education should be encouraged among yam farmers to enhance adoption of improved technologies and also yam farmers should increase their farm size as this will improve their productivity and income.

Keywords: Socio-economic, Adoption, Improved, Production technologies, Imo State