In ensuring food production in the face of food insecurity, appropriate production technologies are inevitable. This study therefore investigated the technologies needed by arable crop farmers of Oyo and Ekiti States in South-western Nigeria. The study employed multistage sampling techniques to select 235 respondents. Quantitative data for study was collected using structured interview schedule while qualitative data was collected during Focus Group Discussion. Quantitative data was analysed with frequency distributions, percentages, mean and ranking as descriptive statistical tools, while Ordered probit regression and T-test inferential tools were used to draw inferences between the variables. The information from quantitative data was used to explain the findings. Results of the analysis revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 45.56 years, both male (76.2%) and female (23.8%) farmers were sampled with different educational background, while 15.7% had no formal education and with 21.44 mean years of farming experience. Majority (66.8%) engages in farming as primary occupation with maize (99.1%), cassava (91.5%), and leafy vegetables (40.4%) as the main arable crop cultivated in the area. Agronomic best practices (WMS = 1.86) and inputs technologies (WMS = 2.07) were ranked first and second on the level of needs of the identified arable crop production technologies, Finance (WMS = 1.88) and inadequate farmland (WMS = 1.81) were ranked as highest in the challenges to the use of arable crop production technologies among the farmers. Ordered probit analysis result established that age (z = 4.41***), sex (z = 1.92**), years of farming experience (z = -2.45**), extension contact (z = -1.72*), and farm size (z = 2.09**) exhibited significant relationship with the level of need of different identified arable crop production technologies among the arable crop farmers in the study area. The study therefore, recommends the need to encourage arable crop production by ensuring appropriate application of different arable crop technologies coupled with adequate training of rural farmers through extension service; the technology providers should align the technologies with the arable crop farmers’ need as it would encourage efficient utilization of such technologies among different users.
Citation: Akintonde J.O., Ajayi, A.O., Dlamini, M.P. and Dlamini, M.M.(2022) Technologies Needs of Arable Crop Farmers of Oyo and Ekiti States of South-Western, Nigeria, International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Studies, Vol.9, No.3, pp.17-29
Keywords: Arable Crop Farmers, production technology, technology needs
