Determinants of Adoption of Modern Agroforestry Technologies by Agricultural Development Programme Contact Farmers in Enugu State Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This study was carried to find the determinants of adoption of modern agroforestry technologies among ADP contact farmers in Enugu State Nigeria. 360 ADP contact farmers constituted the sample of the study. A-120 item structured questionnaire validated by three experts was used to collect data for the study.
The Cronbach Alpha method was used to test the internal consistency of the instrument. The weighted mean, percentages, and multiple regression were used to analyse data that answered the research questions, while t-test statistic and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA ) were used to test the hypotheses.
The socioeconomic characteristics of contact farmers that were determinants of adoption of the technologies were gender, experience of the farmers with agricultural extension workers,educational qualification and frequency of visit of agricultural extension workers.
Agricultural extension teaching methods identified as determinants were – farm/home visits, group discussion, circle meetings, exhibition and conducted tours
.agroforestry inputs identified as determinants were improved tree seedlings, modern beehives, vertiver grasses and organic/inorganic fertilizers. Environmental factors identified as determinants were rainfall, sunlight, temperature, fertility status of the soil, topography, soil erosion drought, pests and diseases.
The study equally revealed that there is no significant difference between the mean responses of male and female ADP contact farmers on stages of adoption of the technologies .
The study found that there is no significant difference in the mean responses of literate and non-literate contact farmers on the adoption of modern agroforestry technologies.
The study found that the environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature, soil fertility determined the adoption of modern agroforestry technologies in Awgu, Enugu and Nsukka agricultural zones of Enugu state.
Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made among which include that; the educational qualifications of agricultural extension agents of the state ADP should be raised to a minimum of a University degree in Agricultural Extension/Education or related discipline.
Contact farmers should be involved both in designing, planning and execution of modern agroforestry technologies, so that their socio-economic characteristics will be taken into consideration. There should be capacity building for agricultural extension workers particularly in educational methodology.
Government, non-governmental organizations, donor agencies should subsidize agroforestry inputs, while communities, schools and private individuals should establish tree nurseries.
Governments and non governmental organization should invest in agroforestry researches which will benefit the society.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITTLE PAGE – – – – – – – – – i
APPROVAL PAGE- – – – – – – – – – ii
CERTIFICATION – – – – – – – – iii
DEDICATION – – – – – – – – – iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS – – – – – – – – v
TABLE OF CONTENTS – — – – – – – – vi
LIST OF TABLES – – – – – – – – – ix
LIST OF FIGURES – – – – – – – – – x
ABSTRACT – – – – – – – – – – xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study — — — — — — — – 1
Statement of the Problem– — — — — — — – 6
Purpose of the Study– — — — — — — — 7
Significance of the Study– – — — — — — – 8
Research Questions– — — — — — — — – 9
Hypotheses– – — — — — — — — – 9
Scope of the Study — — — — — — — – 10
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Conceptual Framework of the Study — — — — — 11
Theoretical Framework — — — — — — — 27
Related Empirical Studies — — — — — — — 35
Summary of Literature Reviewed– — — — — — — 46
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
Design of the Study — — — — — — — — 47
Area of the Study– — — — — — — — — 47
Population for the Study– — — — — — — — 49
Sample and Sampling Technique — — — — — — — 49
Instrument for Data Collection — — — — — — — 50
Validation of the Instrument — – — — — — — 51
Reliability of the Instrument — – — — — — — 51
Method of Data Collection– – — — — — — 52
Method of Data Analysis — — — — — — — 52
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
Research Question One — — — — — — — 54
Research Question Two — — — — — — — 72
Research Question Three — — — — — — — 75
Research Question Four — — — — — — — 77
Research Question Five — — — — — — — 78
Hypothesis One — — — — — — — — 79
Hypothesis Two — — — — — — — — 94
Hypothesis Three — — — — — — — — 95
Hypothesis Four — — — — — — — — 98
Hypothesis Five — — — — — — — — 100
Findings of the Study — — — — — — — — 101
Discussion of the Findings– — — — — — — 116
CHAPTER FIVE – SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Restatement of the Problem– — — — — — — 126
Summary of the Procedures Used — — — — — — 126
Major Findings of the Study — — — — — —- – 127
Conclusion — — — — — — — — — — 128
Implications of the Findings — – — — — — — 130
Recommendations — — — — — — — — 131
Suggestions for Further Studies — — — — — — — 131
REFERENCES– — — — — — — — — 133
APPENDICES — — — — — — — — — 148
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The government and farmers in Nigeria are faced with the challenge of increasing agricultural production to cater for the increasing population.
There is increasing demand for food, fibre and wood from the limited land area which calls for cooperation and integrated approach to agriculture and forestry through agroforestry.
Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme adopted unified agriculture extension system. This is an extension system that operates with frontline extension agents teaching farmers in the five components of the system.
These components include:- crops, livestock, fishery, women in agriculture and agroforestry (Okomoda and Ayanda 1996). It indicates joining all the components in order to achieve improved food production and income level of farmers to enhance livelihood.
Agroforestry is a sustainable land management system which combines production of crops, forest trees and animals simultaneously on the same unit of land and applies management practices that are compatible with local population (Kings, 1996 and Barrett, 2002).
Agroforestry is equally a natural principle for resource management and most reliable means of helping farmers to overcome soil problems and increase their harvests (International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA 1992).
It is one of the innovations being taught to Agricultural Development Programme contact farmers because; it offers multiple agronomic, environmental and socio-economic benefits.
REFERENCES
Abonyi, N.A. (2001). Highlights on activities of Enugu state agricultural development programme (ENADEP) in ENADEP Newsletter. Quarterly publication of Enugu State ADP 1(1), 2-3.
Abonyi, N.A. (1996). Survey of traditional agroforestry practices of farmers in Abakaliki zones of Enugu State. Potentials for adoption of alley cropping technology. Unpublished M.Ed Thesis, Department of Vocational Teacher Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Adaka, N.M. (1994). The role of agroforestry in the agricultural economy of Nsukka agricultural zone. Unpublished B.Sc Thesis, Department of Agricultural Extension University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Adegbehin, J.O. (1999). Principles, and practices of agroforestry. National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) Zaria, Kaduna, State Nigeria.
Ademosun, A.A.H.G. and Bosman, P.C.R. (1985). Nutritional studies with West African dwarf goats in the humid zone of Nigeria in R.T. Wilson and D. Bourzat (Eds.), Small ruminants in African agriculture. International livestock centre for Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Washington, D.C: International Food Policy Research Institute
Adeola, M (1998). Factors influencing the adoption of crop production technologies in secondary school farms in Ondo State.Unpublished M.Ed Thesis, Department of Vocational Teacher Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.