ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to examine the of Oba 98 maize production technologies by farmers in Delta State. Specifically, the study ascertained major sources of information on Oba 98 maize production technologies.
Determined the extent of adoption of Oba 98 maize technologies; determined factors influencing the adoption of Oba 98 maize pro- duction technologies; and identified perceived constraints to adoption of Oba 98 maize pro- duction technologies.
The study was carried out in Delta State. Multistage sampling tech- nique was used to select the sample size for the study. In the first stage, six (6) LGAs were purposively selected out of 25 LGAs based on their popularity on maize farming.
In the second stage two (2) towns farming that are popular in maize production were randomly selected from the six (6) LGAs giving a total of twelve (12) town farming com- munities.
In the third stage, ten (10) maize farmers were selected from a list of maize farmers from the twelve communities through simple random sampling technique, giving a total of one hundred and twenty (120) maize farmers.
Data collected on socio economic characteris- tics were analyzed using descriptive consisting of percentages, frequency and mean scores.
Objectives 1 and 2 were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Objective 3 was analyzed using regression, while objective 4 was analyzed using mean score and standard deviations. The statistical products and service solutions (SPSS) version 20.0 consti- tuted the software package used for the analysis.
The study revealed that greater proportion (27.5%) of the respondents were within the age range of 31-40 years. Majority (65.8%) were male. About 43% had household size of between 8-11 persons. Majority (72.5%) were mar- ried. About 35% had more than 10 years farming experience.
Also, 30% acquired primary school education. Majority (91.7%) were Christians. Furthermore, 45.8% received between N 10,000 and N 100,000 as income realized from the sale of maize. Majority (95%) cultivated less than 3 ha of land. A greater proportion (65.8%) inherited their farmland.
Majority (61.7%) did not have access to credit facilities, but 38.8% received credit from institutional sources. Greater proportion (29.7%) had thrift savings as non-institutional source of credit. Majority (69.2%) of the respondents used hired labour as their major source of labour for ma- ize production.
Also, majority (73.3%) had been visited by extension agents. Majority (87.5%) belonged to one or more social organizations. Data collected on sources of informa- tion revealed that majority (33.3%) received information from radio.
Technologies mainly adopted included use of planting space of 75cm by 25cm with adoption mean score of 3.48, use of post emergence herbicides with adoption mean score of 2.45and use of insecticides to control pest with adoption mean score of 3.38.
Major constraints to adoption of innovations were poor access to sources of agricultural information with a mean score of 2.87, poor ac- cessibility to institutional credits with a mean score of 2.86, inadequate rural roads with a mean score of 2.84 , inadequate extension contact with a mean score of 2.81, in adequacy of modern storage and processing facilities with a mean score of 2.77.
Poor health status of rural farmers with a mean score of 2.71, weak market information with a mean score of 2.67, scar- city and high cost of inputs with a mean score of 2.62 and ignorance of usefulness of the technologies with a mean score of 2.53.
Conclusively, mean age was 37 years, mean house- hold size was 10 family members, mean farming experience was 11 years and mean number of years spent in school was 12 years. The only personal characteristic that influenced adop- tion was annual income realized from the sale of maize.
It is recommended that farmers should be encouraged to participate actively in farmers/social organizations and co-operative societies in order to strengthen their group action and as such act as effective channels for extension information delivery system to farmers.
When maize farmers are in cooperative so- cieties they take advantage of government policies and programmes and attract more funds to themselves.
Also, farmers should be linked to sources of affordable credit so as to enable them purchase necessary inputs and their complementary need.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Certification – – – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – – iv
Table of content – – – – – – – – – v
List of Tables – – – – – – – – – viii
List of Figures – – – – – – – – – ix
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – x
CHAPTER ONE 1. 0 INTRODUCTION – – – – – – – – 1
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – – – 1
1.2 Problem Statement – – – – – – – – 3
1.3 Objective of Study – – – – – – – – 4
1.4 Hypothesis – – – – – – – – – 5
1.5 Significance of Study – – – – – – – – 5
CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW – – – – – – – 6
2.1 Origin and uses of maize – – – – – – – – 6
2.2 Maize varieties and production trends in Nigeria- – – – – 7
2.3 Maize technologies in Nigeria – – – – – – – 14
2.4 Sources of Information on Agricultural Innovation to Farmers – – – 16
2.5 Constraints to adoption of technologies – – – – – – 20
2.6 Theories of Adoption – – – – – – – – 23
2.7 Measurement of Adoption – – – – – – – 28
2. 8 Conceptual Framework – – – – – – – – 29
CHAPTER THREE 3.0 METHODOLOGY – – – – – – – – 32
3.1 Study area – – – – – – – – – – 32
3.2 Population and Sampling Procedure – – – – – – 32
3.3 Instrument for Data Collection – – – – – – – 35
3.4 Measurement of Variables – – – – – – – 35
3.5 Data Analysis – – – – – – – – – 39
4.1 Socio –economic and Institutional Characteristics of the Respondents – – 40
4.2 Sources of Information on Oba 98 Maize Production Technologies – – 49
4.3 Extent of Adoption of Oba 98 Maize Production Technologies – – – 51
4.4Factors Influencing the Adoption of Oba 98 Maize Production Technologies – 55
4.5 Perceived Constraints to the Adoption of Oba 98 Maize Production Technologies 57
CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS – – 61
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – – – 61
5.2 Findings – – – – – – – – – – 62
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – – – – 63
5.3 Recommendations- – – – – – – – – 64
References – – – – – – – – – – 66
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background information
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important cereal crop in sub-Saharan Africa. Maize is also one of the three most important cereal crops in the world (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, 2006).
Maize is easy to process, readily digested and an affordable cereal. (Ismaila, Gana, Tswanya & Dogara, 2010; Kudi, Bolaji, Akinola & Nasa’l, 2011). International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, (IITA) (2006) asserted that every part of maize plant has economic value.
The grains, leaves, stalk, tassel and cob can be used to produce large varieties of food and non-food products. Also, maize is one of the most important crops in Nigeria because it is a major source of dietary fiber and calories which are a good source of energy and it is used industrially for production of food, beverage, and livestock feed.
Maize grains are rich in vitamins A, C and E, carbohydrates, and essential minerals, and contain about 9% protein (IITA, 2010). F
ood and Agriculture Organization (2011) estimated that the land area planted with maize in West and Central Africa alone increased from 3.2 million hectares in 1961 to 10.5 million hectares in 2010.
This expansion of the land area devoted to maize cultivation in Nigeria resulted in increased production of maize from 2.4 million metric tons in 1961 to 7.6 million metric tons in 2010 (National Bureau of Statistics, 2011).
Despite the observed increases the demand for maize as a result of various domestic uses still out weights supply (Menkir & Akintunde 2001).
REFERENCES
Abdoulaye,T.,Bamire,A.S.,Wiredu, M.N.,Baco,M.I.and Fofana, M. (2012).Characterization of maize producing communities in Benin, Ghana ,Mali and Nigeria. An IITA report
Abdullahi, A. (2012). A Comparative Economic Analysis of Rice Production by Adopters and Non Adopters of Improved Varieties among Farmers in Paiko Local Government Area of Niger State. Nigerian Journal of Basic and Applied Science.Vol 20 (2) avail- able on line at http://www.ajol.infor/inded.php/njbas/inded.
Adedoyin, S.F and Adebayo, K. (2005) Communication and advocacy strategies in extension. In Adedoyin, S.F (ed.) Agricultural Extension in Nigeria. Ilorin, AESON.pp.21-27
Adekoya , A.E. and Tologbonse, E. B. (2005). Adoption and diffusion of Innovation in agri- cultural extension in Nigeria. Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria.Pp28-37
Ademiluyi, I.O. (2014).Adoption of Improved Maize Varieties among Farmers in Bassa Lo- cal Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Agriculture and Biology Research, 2(4):26-33
Adenola ,O.A. and Akinwumi,J.A. (2011).Maize production constraints in Nigeria in Fako- rede M.A.B (Ed).Maize improvement, production and utilization in Nigeria.Pp.143- 147.University free press, Ibadan
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