EFFECT OF FARMERS’ UTILIZATION OF IMPROVED SWEET POTATO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES ON ROOT YIELD IN SOUTH-EAST ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the effect of farmers’ utilization of improved sweet potato production technologies on root yield in the South-East Zone, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling and proportionate sampling methods were used to collect data for the study. Three States, Abia, Anambra, and Ebonyi were purposively selected. Finally, a proportionate sampling technique was used to select farmers from the circles to give a sample size of 364 sweet potato farmers. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, while the inferential statistics used were Z-test and Ordinary Least Square regression model. The results showed that the majority (72.25%) of the farmers were females, while few (27.75%) were males, the mean age was 37.3 years, a greater number (53.57%) of the farmers had secondary education, and 69.23% of the farmers had farm size that fell between 0.1-0.9ha. The grand mean of utilization was 2.61 on a three-point rating scale, indicating a high level of utilization of sweet potato production technologies by the farmers. The result of the Z-test showed a significant difference (P< 0.05) with the value of Z-calculated (14.905**). Regression results showed a significant relationship in root yield at 1% and 5% levels. The study concluded that improved sweet potato production technologies disseminated to farmers were highly utilized and the utilization had a positive effect on the farmers’ root yield. It was, therefore, recommended that sweet potato farmers should utilize the improved sweet potato production technologies disseminated to them in order to improve production.