Analysis Of Farmers’ Perception Of Innovation System In Oil Palm Production In South-East, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study analyzed farmers’ perception of the innovation system in oil palm production in the South-east, Nigeria. The study specifically examined key actors in the innovation system, assessed the farmers’ perceived roles of each actor, the level of linkages between and among the key actors; investigated the adoption of various oil palm innovations, among other, Data were collected using structured questionnaire from 300 oil palm farmers. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools such as frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation, Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression model and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for analyses. Results revealed that the innovation system was dominated by oil palm consumers (30%). Research was perceived as the most active actor in the innovation system ( = 4.4; SD = 1.2). The actors maintained strong linkage with one another by collaborating in deciding areas of research ( = 2.9; SD = 1.3). The use of improved seedlings recorded the highest adoption score ( = 4.6; SD = 0.8). Results further showed that affordability, accessibility, usefulness, credibility and simplicity were the major attributes promoting farmers’ adoption of improved seedlings, line spacing, weeding/use of herbicides, mulching, pests and disease control measures, fertilizer application methods and improved harvesting methods in their oil palm production. Radio was the major source of information for majority (83.3%) of the farmers. The oil palm innovation system was perceived to have impacted mostly employment generation ( = 4.1; SD = 1.5). Unavailability of inputs ( = 4.0; SD = 1.0) and inadequate finance ( = 4.0; SD = 0.9) were the most perceived constraining factors to the oil palm innovation system. The socio-economic characteristics of the farmers had a significant relationship (R2 = 0.65) with the level of adoption of the oil palm production technologies. Farmers in the 3 States of the South-east did not differ in their perception of the effects of effective utilization of the actors in oil palm innovation system (F-cal = 2.961; F-tab =2.42, P = 0.30 > 0.05). Farmers in the oil palm innovation system in the three States differed significantly in the perceived roles of the actors towards generating improved technologies (F-cal = 1.99; F-tab = 2.05, P = 0.006 < 0.05). The study concludes that synergy among the actors is imperative for effectiveness in the oil palm innovation system in South-east Nigeria and therefore recommends that marketing information system should be made an integral component of extension service delivery. Oil palm technologies should also be developed in line with identified attributes considered appropriate by the farmers.

Keywords: oil palm, innovation system, actors, extension, agricultural technology, South-east