Ayoade A.R, Akintonde J.O and Oyelere G.O
The major focus of this paper was to examine the factors affecting adoption level of appropriate technologies on cassava production in Oriire Local Government area of Oyo State Nigeria. The study in its specific objectives examined the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents; determined the farmers’ sources of information on cassava production. And finally the study determined the technologies available on cassava production and their extent of use. The study employed the use of structured interview schedule in the collection of relevant information from 120 farmers in 5 villages selected for the study. Data collected were analyzed with frequency distribution, percentages and mean values as the main descriptive statistics, while correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the variables. The mean age of the respondent was 44.8 and they were mostly married (77.6%). Majority of the respondents sampled were male and had no formal education. Most of the respondents engaged in farming as primary occupation and received information through extension agents. The results of the findings revealed that 3.3% have used and discontinued the use of improved varieties while 10.3% are still in use of these varieties. Other technologies still in use include appropriate plant spacing (68.3%), intercropping (16.7%), harvesting (8.3%), use of herbicides (7.5%), use of tractor (4.2%), and fertilizer application (10.8%). The major identified factors affecting the farmer’s level of adoption are lack of information about the technologies (96.7%); poor land tenure system (95.8%), lack of credit facilities (86.7%) and climate change (75%). Other factors include high cost of labour (77.5%), high cost of fertilizer (37.5%) and in availability of improved varieties (42.5%).The correlation coefficients indicates that significant relationships exist between lack of information (.298*), lack of credit facilities (.523**), high cost of fertilizer (.424**), non-availability of improved varieties (.294*), poor land tenure system (.362*), climate change (.220**) and the adoption level of the appropriate technologies. Therefore, this study recommends that the extension and other relevant service providers should make use of diverse means of communicating with farmers about necessary in formations on cassava production and climate change. Also credit facilities can be provided through farmer’s community based organizations.
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