Farmers\' Discontinuance Decision Behaviours Of Yam Minisett Technology In Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Farmers' discontinuance decision behaviours of technologies is attributed to certain reasons and it is governed by certain socio-economic variables. This study identified and analyzed the rate of discontinuance of yam minisett technology, reasons for discontinuance and the socio-economic determinants of the discontinuance decision behaviours by farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. Data were collected through interview schedule and structured questionnaire complemented by transect walk for rapid appraisal from 330 randomly sampled farmers. The result shows 63 percent discontinuance of the use of the technology. The reasons for discontinuance by the farmers include that yam minisett technology does not yield consumptive yam sizes, yam production is expensive and laborious, poor access to credit and lack of extension/information back up. The discontinuance decision is related to the farmers' age, education, farm size, farming experience, marital status and credit opportunities. Yam minisett technology extension campaign should be stepped up using multi- media to re-sensitize the farmers on the aim and desirability of the technology. The credit institutions' lending policies should be reviewed to accommodate the credit needs of the farmers. Also, research efforts should be directed towards evolving inexpensive and less labour demanding technologies for yam production as well as considering the farmers' age, education, marital status, farm size, farming experience and credit opportunities in designing and disseminating the technology for sustained adoption.

International Journal of Agriculture and Development Vol. 9 2007: pp. 80-85