Constraints to women’s adoption of improved agricultural technologies introduced by Women in Agriculture in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The contribution of new technology to economic growth can only be realized such technology is widely diffused and adopted. This study was conducted to analyse factors affecting women’s adoption of improved agricultural technologies introduced by Women In Agriculture (WIA) in Edo State. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 144 women from three Local Government Areas of Edo South ecological zones. An interview schedule was used to collect data and both descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency, percentages, percentages, mean and chi-square was used to analyse the data at p=0.05. Results show that the women were aware of all technologies introduced to them by WIA, however, gaari processing, dry and wet seasons vegetable production, and use of oil palm seedlings were the major ones adopted by the women. in the study area as these technologies rank 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively, Market problem (79.9%, 85.4%), lack of access to credit (83.3%, 87.5%) were constraints identified by women as affecting the adoption of both production and processing technologies introduced to the them as these have the highest percentage among many others. Marital status (?²= 53.163), education (?²=25.48), major occupation (?²= 52.47), source of land (?²=28.576) and source of input (?²=36.653) had significant relationships with adoption of agricultural technologies. Socioeconomic, environmental and technological factors should be considered by researchers when introducing a technology. Technologies that build on assets which the poor women already have are more likely to be adopted.