ABSTRACT

The high cost of seed yarn is known to be a major constraint in yam production in Nigeria. A new technique for production seed yarn from small pieces of yam (minisett) saves cost and allows for increased yam production. This study was conducted in Ezinihitte Mbaise local government area of Imo state and investigated the "evaluation of seed yam production using the technique on minisett". Specifically, the objectives are to examine the soicio-economic characteristics of seed yarn farmers and how they relate with output in the study area, identify the constraints encountered, analyzed their profitability, estimate the rate of adoption and make policy recommendations based on findings of this work. Four communities were purposively chosen for the study and twenty respondents were selected making a total of eighty respondents. Data were collected using structured questionnaire, journals and related materials on subject matter. Collected data were analyzed using statistical tools like frequencies and percentages using in analyzing the soicio-econ mic characteristics of respondents. The net farm incomes were equally employed. Regression results of the study revealed that quantity of seed yam used, farm size, stakes and labour used were found to be significant determinants of output of the technique. The major constraints to adoption to adoption of the technique were the high cost and severity of complementary input, lack of finds and tedious and technical nature of the procedures involved in the technique. It is suggested that to improve the yarm  minisett technique, there is need to make credit available to small-scale farmers at less stringent terms. Extension eff6rts should be intensified to enable more farmers understand the full details about the technique.