ASSESSMENT OF THE LEVEL OF ADOPTION OF COWPEA PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY IN JERE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BORNO STATE

ABSTRACT The study assessed the level of adoption of cowpea production technologies in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State Nigeria. The specific objective was to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the cowpea farmers, identify cowpea production technologies available to the farmers, assess farmers' extent of adoption of cowpea production technologies, determine the factors that influenced adoption of cowpea production technologies among the farmers, and identify the constraints experienced by the farmers in the adoption of technologies. The result of the study indicated that 80.0% of the respondents fell within the age range of 31 - 40 years, with majority (89.0%) male and 11.0% female, and 80.0% were married. Moreover, 94.0% of the respondents had formal education, 59.0% had 1 - 3 farm size, 58.0% had 6 - 10 persons in their household. It was also found that 51.0% of the respondents earn 20,000- 40,000 as their annual farm income, with 50.0% of the respondents who indicate farming as their primary occupation, 81.0% has no access to credit, 73.0% had farming experience of 11 - 20 years, 100.0% indicated that they had no access to extension agents respectively. The result further revealed that 36.0% of the respondents indicates that cowpea production technologies available in the study area includes insecticide/pesticides, 62.0% indicates use of improved seedling as production technology adopted by them. Amongst the problem/constraints experienced by farmers in adoption of cowpea production technologies includes inadequate fund, lack of awareness and low price for their output, 82.0% indicates inadequate fund as a problem/constraints in adoption of cowpea production technologies respectively. The results of coefficient also revealed that age, educational background, farm size, household size, years of farming experience, access to extension agents were found to be significant (p≤ 0.01) each while annual farm income found to be significant (p≤ 0.05) respectively. This means there is significant relationship between respondent’s age, educational background, farm size, household size, annual farm income, years of farming experience and access to extension agents. Based on the findings Government should develop and implement policies aimed at subsidizing cost of production inputs such as insect resistance seedlings, insecticide/pesticide to help increase production. Agricultural extension officers should be devoted to the dissemination of innovations, this will go a long way in creating awareness among cowpea farmers in the study area, thus increased adoption to production technologies. And also Cowpea farmers should organize themselves into cooperatives, this will enable them to purchase modern farm inputs and hire additional labour.