Figure 11: frequency of practicing technologies on sorghum

Figure 11 : frequency of practicing technologies on sorghum

4.3.3 Rice Production Rice production technologies disseminated enjoyed wide acceptability and applicability among farmers under ATASP-1 Program as can be seen in table 28 below as all the nine technologies record well over 4.0 weighted scores from the analyses that were done.

From the table, improved varieties had the highest weighted score of 4.7 indicating that there is overwhelming acceptance and applicability of this technology among rice farmers under the Program. It was observed that about 77% of the farmers claimed they regularly use this technology, about 19% claimed they often use the technology while about 2% claimed they sometimes and 2% never used the technology.

On site selection and land preparation, we have a weighted score of 4.6 showing its wider acceptability and applicability. About 57% of the farmers claimed they use this technology, 34% claimed they often use it while about 4% claimed they sometimes and 2%, 2% rarely use it never used the technology.

More so, field preparation equally has a weighted score of 4.2 showing its wider acceptability and applicability. From the table 28 below, about 35% claimed they regularly use it, about 49% claimed they often use it while about 16% claimed they sometimes use it; 2% claimed they rarely and 2% never used this technology. This was a clear indication of optimum level of acceptance.

Another very important technology disseminated was seed preparation which recorded a weighted score of 4.2 showing its wider acceptability. From the table 28 below, 49% claimed they regularly used this technology, about 34% claimed they often used it while about 12% claimed they sometimes used it and 2% claimed they rarely and never used it respectively. Getting the seed aspect of production right is absolutely important and the acceptance of this technology is very important at setting the production in the right

path of high productivity.

Determination of the planting season (interpreting rainfall pattern for successful cropping is a vital strategy in coping with challenges of climate change) is another technology disseminated to farmers under ATASP-1 Program as planting at the right time will enhance crop productivity. From the table 33 below, this technology has a weighted score of 3.7 showing its high level of acceptability. From the table 28, 73% of the farmers claimed they used this technology regularly, 24% claimed they used it often while about 2% claimed they sometime 1% used it.

Moreover, crop establishment was another technology disseminated to rice farmers with weighted score of 4.5 .From the table 28 below about 73% claimed they used this technology regularly; about 24 % claimed they used it often while about 2% claimed they sometime used it.

Another important technology disseminated on rice was weed management with a weighted score of 4.5. it was found that, about 74% of the farmers claimed they use this technology regularly, about 25% claimed they use the technology often while about 2% claimed they sometime use this technology. The wider acceptability of weed control technology is of great significant since this will enhance higher yield.

Fertilizer application technology was another very important technology disseminated and it recorded a weighted score of 4.5 showing its wider acceptability and applicability among the farmers. From the table 28 below, about 76% claimed they regularly used it, about 18% claimed they often used it while about 4.1% claimed they sometimes and 2.0% accepted they rarely used it. It is to be noted also that using the right fertilizer in the right quantity is a sure way of boosting rice productivity.

Finally, pest and diseases control is another technology disseminated by ATASP-1 Program to rice farmers in the Program areas and this recorded a weighted score of 4.0. This showed that this technology has gained wider acceptability among these farmers. From the table 28 below, about 52% claimed that they regularly used this technology; about 37% claimed they often used it while 7percent claimed they sometime used it, yet 4% affirmed that they rarely used this technology. The acceptance of technology for pest and diseases control is very significant since pest and disease can reduce yield to almost zero when left unchecked. From the results presented here, there was bound to be very significant increase in production of rice nationwide if these promising technologies are extended all rice producing zones in the country.