FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION OF RICE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES AMONG WOMEN RICE FARMERS IN BAUCHI STATE

Abstract

The study examined the factors influencing the adoption of rice production technologies among women rice farmers in Bauchi State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 161 respondents from the study area. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The results revealed that majority (59.0%) respondents cultivated between 0.5–1.5 hectares of land. Farming was the major occupation for majority (63.4%) of respondents, while 46% had access to credit facilities and more than half (54.7%) had access to extension service. The regression analysis indicated that education level, estimated income, and frequency of extension contact were statistically significant (P<0.01) in influencing the adoption of rice production technologies. The major constraints identified were high cost of technology (57.8%), lack of technical skills (48.4%), and limited access to credit (34.2%), which hindered the ability of women farmers to invest in productivity-enhancing innovations. The study concludes that level of education, estimated income and frequency of extension contact were the factors influencing the adoption of rice production technologies among women in the study area. The study recommended the need for government and other stakeholders to strengthening women’s access to extension services, affordable inputs, and credit toward enhancing rice productivity thereby contributing to food security and poverty reduction in study area.