ADOPTION OF PRO VITAMIN A CASSAVA VARIETIES IN SOUTH-EAST AND SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA

Abstract

The study determined the level of adoption of pro vitamin A cassava varieties among farmers by investigating the technological attributes, level of adoption and influence of the technological attributes on the adoption. Four stages of random sampling procedure were used to select 480 cassava farmers. The data obtained were analyzed with rating scale and a probit regression model. The study revealed that the technological attributes of pro vitamin A cassava as viewed by farmers was positive ( = 3.7). Though the level of adoption of the varieties was high, some constraining factors such as high cost/scarcity of stem, inadequate information, amongst others were more or less retrogressive to the total adoption goal of vitamin A varieties. The study also revealed that high yield, early maturity, yellow root, accessibility and affordability influenced adoption. The study therefore recommended that both government and the pro vitamin A cassava developers should improve the nutritional information about the technology to sensitize farmers more and readily made available the stems of these cassava varieties to farmers to enable them take full advantage of the benefit of the innovation in Nigeria.