An evaluation of farmers’ adoption of yam minisett technology in Agricultural Zone 3, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated farmers’ adoption of yam minisett technology in Agricultural Zone 3, Rivers State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to examine farmers’ level of awareness of yam minisett technology in the study area, to access the extent of adoption of yam minisett production technique in the study area, examine the constraints to adoption of yam minisett technology in the study area and to determine the influence of yam minisett utilization on the yield of yam in the study area. The study adopted a survey research design. A sample of 360 farmers was selected using random sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation were used to analyze and realize the objectives of the study. The findings of the study reveal that farmers in the study area had low awareness level about the yam minisett technology and adoption of the yam minisett technology. Cost of innovations, lack of technical efficiency and low sprouting rate of minisetts, poor extension delivery service and the top-down extension approach which does not take cognizance of farmers-identified production problems, lack of youth participation and involvement in farming (yam production) as a result of search for white-collar jobs, socio-economic characteristics such as educational level or background, and lack of land to commercially produce in quantity, among others are constraints to the adoption of yam minisett technology in the study area. It was recommended that the farmers should be encouraged to engage in training and to seek financial assistance in order to overcome the problem of scarcity and high cost of inputs.