Adoption of Improved Cocoyam Technologies Disseminated by National Root Crop Research Institute Umudike in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria
Abstract
This paper analyzed the adoption of improved cocoyam technologies disseminated by the National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 120 cocoyam farmers using a structured questionnaire/interview schedule. Data collected were analyzed through the use of percentages and mean. Results from the study shows that about 23% of the respondents were within the age range of 21-30 years, 54.4% had a family size of 6- 10 members and 58.3% were females. Results equally show that 61.7% of the farmers were married. Forty nine percent (49%) attained secondary education; many (57.5%) were civil servants and 29.2 % had farm size of between 1 to 2 hectares. “Manure/fertilizer application", “weed control methods” and "pest/disease control" had mean adoption score of 3.44, 3.38 and 3.18 respectively, indicating that the respondents adopted the techniques in order to enhance cocoyam production. The main methods used by the National Root Crops Research Institute to disseminate cocoyam production technologies include: farmers’ cooperative, followed by extension agents, establishment of demonstration farms in the area, encouraging farmers’ visits to research farms, promotional campaign to encourage cocoyam production, personal contact method, and radio/television programmme on cocoyam. The study therefore recommends that National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) should organize more promotional campaigns and training workshops geared towards encouraging an increased cocoyam technology adoption and production in Ikwuano Local Government of Abia State.
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