FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION OF IMPROVED RICE PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES BY WOMEN IN CHANCHAGA AND BOSSO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined Factors Influencing Adoption of Improved Rice Processing Technologies by Women in Chanchaga and Bosso Local Government Areas of Niger State. The specific objectives were to: identify the socio- economic characteristics of the respondents, examine level of awareness, identify the sources of awareness, determine the level of adoption, factors influencing adoption and constraints to adopting improved rice processing technologies. Primary data were collected from 120 rice processors that were selected using purposive and proportionate sampling techniques from eight processing locations namely: Kpakungu, Gidan Mangoro, Dutse Kura, Tunga, Maikunkele, Bosso, Maitumbi and Chanchaga using structured questionnaire. Descriptive, probit regression model and Z-test were used as analytical tools. Results of the analyses reveals that respondents were at their productive age with mean age of 37 years. Respondents were aware of most the technologies and the sources of awareness were mostly extension agents, farmer groups and friends but few technologies were adopted. Result of the maximum likelihood estimates obtained from the probit regression analysis shows that age (0.016), education (0.041), labor cost (0.001), quantity processed (0.004), income (0.001), awareness (0.152) and co-operativeness were positive and significant with adoption of improved rice processing technologies. However, experience (-0.010) and extension agents (-0.281) were negative and significant while household size (-0.006) and distance (-0.051) were negative and insignificant with adoption of improved rice processing technologies. Also, Z-value (p<0.05) shows a significant difference between income before and after adopting the technologies. The most commonly mentioned constraints were inadequate access to agricultural credit and inadequate fund. Hence, adoption of improved rice processing technologies by processors is still low due to certain constraints not properly addressed. This study recommends that women should form more co-operatives so as to pull resources together to acquire needed technologies, financial institution should create an enabling environment for processors to loan and technologies developer should take into consideration the financial capacity of intended users.