CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Root and tuber crops, notably cassava, yam, sweet potato and cocoyam, are central to food security and rural incomes in Nigeria. Cassava in particular is widely grown by smallholders and is processed into a range of household and industrial products. The National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) at Umudike, in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, holds the national mandate for the genetic improvement, production, processing, storage and socio-economics of root and tuber crops. The institute has developed and transferred improved cassava varieties such as TME 419 and NR 8082, along with production and processing technologies.

Developing technologies is only the first step; farmers must know about them, understand them and decide to use them. Extension education, which is the process of teaching farmers through training, demonstrations, field days, advisory visits and mass media, is the main link between research and practice. Farmers’ awareness and adoption of root and tuber technologies in south-eastern Nigeria have been examined by Akwiwu et al. (2026), who reported that Abia State had the highest share of farmers who were both aware of and had adopted the technologies developed and promoted by NRCRI, out of 16 technology categories considered. The study also pointed to the role of extension activities in the spread of these technologies.

Other studies support the link between extension and adoption. Nwaobiala (2018) found that extension contact influenced farmers’ adoption of cassava agronomic practices and intercrop technologies in Abia and Imo States, and Nwaobiala (2022) reached a similar conclusion for Sasakawa cassava-maize intercrop technologies in Abia State. Beyond the South-East, research on Integrated Striga Management in northern Nigeria showed that contact with extension agents and participation in on-farm trials increased the likelihood of adoption (Hassan et al., 2016). Izuogu et al. (2024) also examined farmers’ perceptions, utilisation and training needs in relation to extension services in south-eastern Nigeria.

Umudike and its neighbouring communities are close to the institute and might be expected to be well served. It is not clear, however, whether proximity has translated into effective extension education and high adoption of improved root and tuber technologies among ordinary cassava farmers. This study examines that question.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Although NRCRI has released improved technologies for cassava and other root and tuber crops, adoption by farmers is still incomplete. Studies show that awareness of technologies is often higher than actual adoption, and that adoption differs from one community and one technology to another (Akwiwu et al., 2026). Many farmers continue to use unimproved planting material and traditional practices that limit yield and income.

Extension education is expected to close the gap, but the type of educational methods used, the frequency of contact and the farmers’ response to them have not been sufficiently studied in Umudike and its neighbouring communities. It is therefore uncertain how far extension education explains the adoption of improved technologies in the area, and what other factors are involved. This study investigates the effect of extension education on the adoption of improved root and tuber technologies among cassava farmers in Umudike and neighbouring communities, Ikwuano LGA, Abia State.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of extension education on the adoption of improved root and tuber technologies among cassava farmers in Umudike and neighbouring communities, Ikwuano LGA, Abia State. The specific objectives are to:

(1) describe the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmers in the study area;

(2) identify the improved root and tuber technologies available to the farmers;

(3) identify the extension education methods through which the technologies are taught to farmers;

(4) determine the level of awareness and adoption of the improved technologies;

(5) determine the effect of extension education on the adoption of the improved technologies; and

(6) identify the constraints to the adoption of improved root and tuber technologies in the study area.

1.4 Research Questions

(1) What are the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmers in the study area?

(2) What improved root and tuber technologies are available to the farmers?

(3) What extension education methods are used to teach the technologies to farmers?

(4) What are the levels of awareness and adoption of the technologies?

(5) What is the effect of extension education on the adoption of the technologies?

(6) What constraints hinder adoption of the technologies in the study area?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will be tested at the 5% level of significance:

H01: Extension education has no significant effect on the adoption of improved root and tuber technologies among cassava farmers in the study area.

H02: There is no significant relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of farmers and their adoption of improved root and tuber technologies.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will help NRCRI, the Abia State Agricultural Development Programme and the Ikwuano LGA agricultural department to see how well their teaching methods are working and where they should be adjusted. Cassava farmers will benefit from clearer recommendations on how to access and use improved technologies. The study will also assist policy makers and development partners in planning root and tuber programmes, and will contribute to the literature on extension education and technology adoption in south-eastern Nigeria.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to cassava farmers in Umudike and neighbouring communities in Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State. It concentrates on extension education as the independent variable and the adoption of improved root and tuber technologies, with emphasis on cassava, as the dependent variable. The technologies of interest include improved varieties, planting and spacing practices, weed and disease management, and processing methods.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

Because the study focuses on one area, its findings may not be generalised to the whole of Abia State or the South-East. The closeness of the study communities to NRCRI may make them different from communities farther away. Some respondents may not remember accurately when they adopted a technology or how often they attended training. These limitations will be handled through careful sampling, a pre-tested questionnaire and clear explanation of the purpose of the study to respondents.

1.9 Definition of Terms

(1) Extension education: The process of teaching farmers new knowledge, skills and attitudes through methods such as training, demonstrations, field days, advisory visits and mass media.

(2) Adoption: The decision to accept an improved technology and continue to use it.

(3) Root and tuber technologies: Improved varieties, cultural practices and processing methods developed for crops such as cassava, yam, sweet potato and cocoyam.

(4) Awareness: Knowledge that a technology exists, which comes before the decision to try or adopt it.

(5) Neighbouring communities: Villages and settlements around Umudike within Ikwuano Local Government Area that share similar farming conditions.

References

Akwiwu, U. N., Olatunji, S. O., & Nwakor, N. (2026). Awareness and adoption of root and tuber crops technologies among farmers in South-eastern Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology, 24(5), 44–54. https://doi.org/10.4314/jagst.v24i5.3

Hassan, M. B., Baiyegunhi, L. J. S., Ortmann, G. F., & Abdoulaye, T. (2016). Adoption of Striga (Striga hermonthica) management technologies in northern Nigeria. Agrekon, 55(1–2). https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2016.1159587

Izuogu, C. U., Oparaojiaku, J. O., Njoku, L. C., & Okorie, D. A. (2024). Utilization of agricultural extension services among farmers in South Eastern, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Animal Sciences, 5(2), 299–309.

Nwaobiala, C. U. (2018). Farmers’ adoption of cassava agronomic practices and intercrop technologies in Abia and Imo States, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 22(2), 82–96.

Nwaobiala, C. U. (2022). Determinants of farmers’ adoption of Sasakawa Global 2000 cassava-maize intercrop technologies in Abia State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 26(4), 11–22.