EFFECT OF IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES ON CASSAVA PRODUCTION AND FARM INCOME IN SHIRORO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of improved technologies on cassava production and farm income in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger Stale, between August and September. 2006. Specifically, the study compared the yield and income ofthe improved technologies of the adopters and that of the non-adopters. Data was collected from 100farmers using stratified random sampling technique. Data was analyzed using Descriptive statistics. Farm budget Analysis and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The farmers who adopted herbicides only had a net farm income of N 11.975.49per hectare and those who use improved planting materials only had a net farm income of N 102.514.12 per hectare. Farmers who adopted a combination of technologies had a net farm income of N 98.666.39per hectare. This reveals that, adoption of improved technologies leads to increase in income. The use of improved planting materials only and the use of a combination of improved technologies were significant at 5 percent level. The income of adopters was higher than those of the non-adopters. The most important problem faced by the two categories of farmers was low demand for cassava. It is recommended that for output and income of farmers to increase, farmers should adopt improved technologies. The Government needs to assist the cassava farmers to buy the excess tubers from the farmers in order to encourage them sale especially at the peak of harvest.