ABSTRACT

This project was designed to compare the adoption of improved cocoa production technologies by farmers in Bende and Ikwuano L.G.As of Abia State. The respondents comprised of 120 farmers (60 farmers from each LGA) who were randomly selected from the study areas. Means, percentages, t-test and multiple regressions were used to analyze the data collected. The mean age of farmers in Bende LGA was 57 compared with that of farmers in Ikwuano LGA, which was 52. The mean number years spent in school by farmers, in Bende L.G.A was 15 compared with 16 in Ikwuano L.G.A. the mean number of household size in Bende L.G.A was 6.9 compared with 7.13 in Ikwuano L.G.A. There was no significant difference between the rate of adoption of improved cocoa production technologies by farmers in Bende and Ikwuano LGAs excepting the difference between the rate of adoption of Amelonado (D- 38) as planting material, copper-bordeaux mixture as chemical for disease control, spraying method and the use of basket as storage. Extension contact and land tenurial were the major factors influencing farmers' adoption of improved cocoa production technologies in Bende L.G.A compared with age, cooperative membership, extension contact, total farm size and income level in Ikwuano LGA. In Bende L.G.A, extension contact was positively related to adoption while land tenurial was negatively related to adoptions compared with extension contact and income level, which were positively related to adoption while age, cooperative membership and total farm size were negative in Ikwuano LGA. Lacks of fund, chemicals, labour and poor extension contact were identified as the major problems militating against farmers' adoption of improved cocoa production technologies.