FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF INTERMEDIATE FARM TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT IN KADUNA STATE OF NIGERIA

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FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF INTERMEDIATE FARM TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT IN KADUNA STATE OF NIGERIA

Abstract:

There is a widespread recognition that non-adoption of labour- saving devices is a significant constraint on increasing farm productivity and output. This constraint has persisted inspite of the fact that intermediate farm tools and equipment have been introduced to farmers in Nigeria over the past seventy years. In this thesis, a number of factors were conceived as affecting adoption of these tools and equipment. The relevant data were collected from secondary and primary sources. The secondary data were obtained through an intensive study of documents. The primary data were collected using four sets of questionnaire administered to Research and Development Institutions, fabricators and dealers, the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Project, and 240 farmers comprising randomly selected adopters and non-adopters. Percentages, means and t-test were used to analyze certain aspects of the study. Product-moment correlation was used to determine the existence and strength of relationships between selected variables and level of adoption, while stepwise multiple regression model was used to determine the individual contributions of the independent variables. It was found that some farm tools and equipment proto-types were available and being fabricated and sold to farmers. Farmers had high levels of awareness of the farm tools and equipment. The equipment being adopted intensively was the ridger, while the planter recorded the least adoption. The most critical problems hindering the development, introduction and adoption of IFTE were finance, lack of good quality raw materials, lack of market demands and high cost. Farm size, use of biological/chemicals inputs, manual labour availability, age of farmers and cost of IFTE in particular were all highly significant determinants of level of V adoption. The study shows that adopters cultivated larger farm sizes, achieved higher yields in most of the crops grown, and had higher income. The policy implications of the study and recommendations are viewed from four perspectives. First, there are implications for government policy planning purposes. The study suggests that government should provide an enabling environment basic to the development, introduction and adoption of IFTE. Secondly, there are theoretical implications. Some of the variables such as farm size, extension contact and age were found to be significantly related to the adoption of IFTE in support of previous studies. Thirdly, there are practical implications. The factors affecting the adoption of IFTE identified in this study can be used by extension agencies as criteria for the selection of farmers who will serve as innovators. Fourthly, there are methodological implications. Some important variables were not studied. Additional variables need to be considered in future studies. vi

FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF INTERMEDIATE FARM TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT IN KADUNA STATE OF NIGERIA

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