FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF INTERMEDIATE FARM TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT IN KADUNA STATE OF NIGERIA
FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF INTERMEDIATE FARM TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT IN KADUNA STATE OF NIGERIA
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Date
1999-12
Authors
AKPOKO, Joseph Gambo
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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
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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.
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Description
A Thesis Submitted to the Post-graduate School, Ahimadu Bello University, in
Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
Agricultural Extension
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL
SOCIOLOGY
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA
DECEMBER, 1999
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Keywords
FACTORS AFFECTING,, ADOPTION,, INTERMEDIATE,, TOOLS,, EQUIPMENT,, KADUNA STATE,, NIGERIA