ABSTRACT

 A study of smallholder farmers' response to the Agricultural Insurance Scheme was carried out in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State. Four communities were purposely selected, and from each a random sample of three villages was made. Forty- six uninsured and thirty insured smallholder farmers was made from the villages. Data were collected from the respondents by means of structured questionnaires, and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions of Linear, Double; Semi-log and Exponential functional forms. The effect of insurance on the level of technology adopted was determined using Chow's test. The result showed that smallholder farmers from within the range of 31- 40 and and 31 — 50 years lhr insured and insured farmers respectively. Thc greater percentage of the respondents with high technology adoption level was dominated by the male gender for both insured and uninsured farmers. The result also showed that age was a factor that affected technology adoption level of uninsured stallholder farmers. Education and sex addicted technology adoption level of insured stallholder farmers. Generally, technology adoption was affected by household size, income and sex. Technology adoption level of stallholder insured farmers (1 .8333) differed significantly at I % level of probability from that of stallholder uninsured farmers (0.933). The mean income level of smallholder insured farmers (N 432223.33) differed significantly at 5 % level of probability from that of smallholder uninsured farmers (N20733.33). Whereas the mean level of education for insured farmers was 11.667 years, the mean level of education far uninsured smallholder farmers was 8.833 years, and these two means differed signil1cantiv at 1% level of probability. There is need to encourage education among rural farmers so as to increase their technology adoption level. There is need to increase farmers land holdings which will encourage them to increase their technology adoption level in farming. which 'ill it'1 turn help increase their income levels.