Abstract :
T he study examined factors influencing the adoption of improved cassava processing technologies. Interview schedule was used to collect information from 100 rural women involved in cassava processing. The average age of the respondents was 51 years and majority (77%) had formal education. The women’s main source of information on the improved cassava processing technologies was through the WIA (extension) agents. Years spent on formal education, household size and credit accessibility had significant and positive influence on adoption of the improved technologies. Age had a significant but negative influence while membership of social organization and number of extension contact had no significant influence on the adoption. The WIA (extension) agents should intensity their contact with the women. The women should be engaged in more training programmes to learn more about the improved cassava processing technologies in order to improve their livelihood.
References:
1) Abali, I., Ifenkwe, G. E. and Emerhiri, E. (2014). Analysis of Women Participation in Cassava Production in Rural Communities of River State, Nigeria. Proceedings of the 19th Annual National Conference of Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Owerri Imo State, Nigeria. 27th-30th April, 2014, 8-16.
2) Abudu, S., Haruna, S. K., Idehen, O. E. and Jamilu, A. A. (2014). Adoption of recommended cassava production practices among farmers in Edo State, Nigeria. Proceedings of the 19th Annual National Conference of the Agriculture Extension Society of Nigeria, held at Owerri, Imo State, 27th-30th April, 2014, 23-29.
3) Adebayo, K. (2006). Dynamics of the Technology Adoption Process in Rural-based Cassava Processing Systems in South West Nigeria. International Foundation for Science, Sweden.
4) Adedoyin, S.F and Adebayo, K. (2005). Communication and Advocacy strategies in extension. In: Adedoyin, S.F. (ed.) Agricultural Extension in Nigeria; Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria (AESON) Publications, Ilorin, Nigeria, 21-27.
5) Adeolu, B.A. (2005). The economic of Cassava processing in Oyo State, M.Sc Thesis. Department of Agricultural Extension Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
6) Agwu, A.E. (2004). Factors influencing adoption of improved cowpea production technologies in Nigeria. Journal of International Agriculture and Extension Education, 11 (1), 81-89
7) Ani, A.O. (2007). Agricultural Extension: A Pathway for Sustainable Agricultural Development. Kaduna, Nigeria: Apani Publishers.
8) Bivan, G.M. (2007). Economics of resource use in small scale agricultural production. A case of Akoko Local Government Area, Bauchi State, Nigeria M.Sc. Thesis. Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Programme. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria.
9) Ezedinma, C. I., Okafor, C., Asumugha, G. N and Nweke, F. (2006). Trends in farm labour productivity and implications for cassava industrialization in Nigeria. Proceeding of the 40th Annual Conference of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria held at Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. 16-20th October, 2006, 109-115.
10) Food and Agricultural Organization. (2006). FAO STAT. Statistics division of FAO. Retrieved January 24, 2014,from www.fao.org
11) Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) (2008). The Food consumption table for use in Africa. Health and Welfare Department April, 2008. Rome, FAO.
12) Kormawa, P. and Akoroda, M.O. (2003). Cassava supply chain arrangements for industrial utilization in Nigeria. IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria.
13) Linley., C. J., Katundu, J. and Felistus, C. (2002). Bitter Cassava and Women: An intriguing response to food Security. LEISA Magazine 18, Issue 14.
14) National Programme for Agriculture and Food Security (NPAFS) (2010). Report of the 2009 Agricultural Production Survey (APS). Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abuja, Nigeria, June 2013.
15) Nwibo, S. U., Ezike, K. N. and Odoh, N. E. (2011). Cassava production, commercialization and value addition. Proceeding of the 25th Conference of Farm Management Association of Nigeria, Owerri, Nigeria, 173-179.
16) Nwokoro, S. O. and Aletor, U. A. (2007). The Nigerian Cassava Initiatives for man and Livestock. In: Erhabor, P. O., Azaki, S. S and Ingawa, S. A. (eds.). Cassava the white Gold. Benin City, Nigeria: Initiative Publication, 140-182.
17) Obeta, M. E. and Nwagbo, F. C. (1990). The adoption of Agricultural Innovation in Nigeria. A case study of an improved IITA cassava technology package in Anambra State. Proceeding of the 8th Triennial Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops-Africa Branch, Ibadan, Nigeria. 12th-16th November 2001, 96-101.
18) Odurukwe, S. N., Mathews-Njoku, E. C. and Ejiogu-Okereke, N. (2006). Impact of the women in agriculture (WIA) Programme on women’s lives: Implication for subsistence Agricultural Production of women in Imo State Nigeria. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 18(2): 22-26
19) Omeje, L.T.N. and Ajayi, A.R. (2009). Evaluation of the National Livestock small holder loan scheme among farmers in Enugu North Agricultural Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria. Agro-Science Journal of Tropical Agriculture, Food, Environment and Extension, 8 (1): 38-44.
20) Ozor, N. And Madukwe, N. C. (2005) Obstacles to the adoption of improved rabbit technologies by small scale farmers in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Agro-Science Journal of Tropical Agriculture, Food, Environment and Extension, 4 (1): 70-73
21) Philips, T.P. (1983). An overview of cassava, consumption in cassava toxicity. Proceedings of a workshop in Ottawa, Canada. International Development Research Centre. Monograph, 3 (4): 50-56.
22) Umar, S., Musa, M. W. and Kamsang, L. (2014). Determinants of adoption of improved maize varieties among resource-poor households in Kano and Katsina States, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 18 (2): 214-224.
