Comparative Analysis of Adoption of Pro Vitamin A Cassava Improved Farming Practices among Farmers in South-East and South-South Nigeria

Abstract

The study comparatively analyzed the adoption level of pro vitamin A cassava among farmers in south-east and south-south Nigeria. Multistage random sampling was adopted in the selection of the sample size of 480 pro-vitamin A cassava farmers cumulatively chosen from Imo, Anambra, Delta and Akwa Ibom States. Firstly, two agricultural zones were randomly selected from each State, giving a total of eight agricultural zones. Secondly, three blocks were randomly selected from each of the zones, giving a total of twenty-four blocks. Thirdly, two circles were also randomly selected from each block, giving a total of forty-eight circles. Fourthly, ten respondents were randomly selected from the circles giving a total of one hundred and twenty respondents from each state, giving a total of four hundred and eighty respondents for the study. Focus Group Discussion and well-structured questionnaire were used to elicit information from the respondents while descriptive (standard deviation, tables, mean) and inferential statistics (Duncan multiple range test) were used to analyze the data collected. Results emerging from analysis showed that ANOVA result detected differences in the level of adoption of pro vitamin A cassava across the States, indicating mean scores in Imo as (3.7583), Delta (3.6583), Anambra (3.9417) and Akwa Ibom (4.125) and significant at 1% level of probability. The study concluded that there were high levels of adoption of pro-vitamin A cassava but in varying degrees across the states. Therefore, promotional activities, such as field days and nutritional information campaigns to boost adoption of pro vitamin A cassava improved farming practices and achieve the focus on eradicating vitamin A deficiency (VAD) through a cheaper cost-effective sustainable means accessible to even the rural poorer farmers in Nigeria is recommended.