ASSESSEMENT OF LEVEL OF ADOPTION AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON RICE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES PROMOTED BY AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH OUTREACH CENTRES (AROCs) IN SELECTED AREAS OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the level of adoption of rice production technologies introduced by Agricultural Research Outreach Centres (AROCs) and the sources of information used by rice farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. Data were collected using a multi-sampling technique. Data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics such as Frequency distribution, Percentage and Liker-type scale. Results revealed that respondents’ most effective sources of information on rice production used frequently were extension agents from both AROCs and State ADPs (98.8%) and followed by fellow farmers with (45.5%). The results shows that eleven (11) improved technologies out of twenty-six (26) technologies introduced by AROC had very high adoption rate (80 - 100%) and seven (7) technologies had high rate of adoption (60 -79) in the study area. The seed varieties with very high adoption rate in the study area were NERICA 1 (Upland) and FARO 44 - sippi (Lowland) which may likely be due to their high yield and market value. The result further portrays that rice farmers in the study area were less resistance to new technologies despite their low level of education, which may likely to be due to contributions of AROCs in the study area. The results revealed that the constraints according to the order of prevalence were Lack of accessibility of Hybrid Media (2.9), inadequate Capital (2.7), Inadequate access to input (2.4) and Inadequate Farm Land (2.3) were leading constraints to adoption of rice production technologies in the study area. The implication of inadequate capital, strongly agreed by respondents as serious constraint in this study could also be the likely factor for inadequate access to input and farm land due to insufficient purchasing power which possibly leads to low level of adoption or discontinuation of rice production technologies among respondents. it was recommended that financial institutions such as Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Commercial Banks and relevant financial regulatory agencies such as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should assist in providing flexible, low-interest credits and removal of stringent conditions attached to credit access. Also, Government should enact and implement policies that would provide easy access to land and ensure gender biases in access to farm land.