C ADOPTION OF IMPROVED MAIZE VARIETIES IN NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH OF BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This study examined the adoption of improved maize varieties in northern Guinea Savanna of Borno State. Primary data were collected by use of structured questionnaire and using multi-stage random sampling procedure, 400 farmers were selected. Descriptive and inferential Statistics were used for data analyses. The study reveals that majority (81.1%) of the respondents were male. Only 17% of the respondents had access to credit. The study also revealed that (89.2%) of the respondents were married with the average household size of 7 persons. The findings show that 78.4% of respondents had an average age of 40 years, 37.4% had formal education. Overall adoption rate was 89.0%. Coefficient of socio-economic and institutional factors such as extension contact, farm size, education level, access to credit and age were found to be significant (P≤0.01) and positively influencing adoption of improved maize varieties. Household size and income level were also significant (P≤0.05) and positively related to likelihood of adoption of improved maize varieties. Non-availability of technology (99%), high cost of technology (92%) and high cost of labour (88%) were the major constraining factors to adoption of improved maize varieties. The study recommended that: community seed production should be encouraged and promoted to facilitate easy access to improved seeds by farmers. The extension system should be strengthened, a policy, which provides adequately trained and equipped extension workers for disseminating extension messages to farmers, re-strengthening of Community Based Organizations and seed companies to introduce labour saving tools like planters and harvesters etc