Figure 9: Technologies disseminated on rice practiced

Figure 9 : Technologies disseminated on rice practiced

4.3 Mode of practicing technologies extended 4.3.1 on cassava production Functionality of adopted technology is primarily assessed by the rate of utilization. It is therefore logical that after selecting applicable technologies that could enhance farming productivity and presenting each of these at appropriate time and venues to farmers; it becomes very necessary to ascertain the level or rate of utilization of each of the packages.

Therefore, the analysis of the frequency of practicing good agronomic practices delivered to cassava farmers are as presented in table 26 below. From the table, it was found that improved cassava varieties were highly in use by these farmers across the 3 SCPZs as the average weighted score was 4.3 which was by far greater than 3.0 indicating the limit point where the effective usage of this technology begins. For this improved crop varieties, about 64% of the farmers affirmed that they regularly use it, 21% claimed they often use it while about 14% claimed they sometime use it. If we sum these together, we have 100% that were using this particular technology (improve variety) showing that the technology is very popular among the farmers.

On site selection, it also has a weighted average score of 3.7 showing that farmers have keyed into this technology. With about 36% of them claiming that, they regularly use this technology, while about 29% claimed they often use it and about 27 claimed they sometime used the technology and only 7% claimed have never. Summing all of these will give us a total of 100%. This is an indication that, this particular technology has been

overwhelmingly embraced by the farmers. Land preparation method was another technology disseminated to cassava farmers and this technology also has a weighted score of 4.5 showing its wider applicability among these farmers. From the table 26 above, it was found that 64% of the farmers claimed they regularly make use of the technology while 21% claimed they often use the technology and 14% claimed they sometimes use the technology. It could be concluded that there is overwhelming use of these technology among these farmers. Such will generate expected higher yield to the credit of the Program; hence sustainability will depend largely on available market and processing capacity at immediate disposal

Furthermore, plant spacing and the right plant population was another technology disseminated to farmers and this is very important if optimum crop yields are to be obtained from any cropping system. From the table 26 below, it was found that about 43% claimed they regularly use this technology, about 29% claimed they often use it while about 21% claimed they sometimes use it and 6 rarely used it. The weighted score of 4.2 is an indication that farmers are using this technology to the very well.

Weed management is very important because good management of weed could lead to substantial yields while lack of weed management could spell doom for the crop yield. For this technology, the weighted score was 4.5 showing it has been widely accepted. About 49% of these farmers claimed they regularly use this technology, about 28% claimed they often use it while about 22 % claimed they sometimes used it and 2% never use it.

Furthermore, soil fertility weighted score was 3.4 and about 33% claimed they regularly use it, about 33% claimed they often use it while 27% claimed they sometimes use it and 7% never used it. There is need to place more emphasis on this technology because the fertility of any soil will determine the output from such soil.

Record keeping was also among the technologies disseminated to farmers in the study area under ATASP-1 Program and this has a weighted score of 3.1 showing its marginal acceptability. This must have strong correlation with educational level of the respondents. From the table, about 20% of these farmers claimed they regularly use this technology; about 20% claimed they often use it while about 27% claimed they sometime use it, 13.3 claimed they rarely and 20% never used it. Of all the ten technologies disseminated on cassava, eight have been widely accepted while two that have weighted score of less than 3.0 have not been widely put into use and these two are yield assessment and proper record keeping. There is need to therefore put more efforts in persuading farmers about these technologies till they are widely accepted.