Performance of Improved Agricultural Technology Information among Small Scale Alcohol Consuming Farmers in Madagali, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study aimed at analysing the performance of improved agricultural technologies information among small scale alcohol consuming farmers of Madagali Local Government Area, Adamawa State. The study assessed the socio-economic characteristics of small scale alcohol consuming farmers of the study area, finding the effect of alcohol consumption and addiction on agricultural production and to analyse the adoption and effect of the performance of agricultural technology information among small scale alcohol consuming farmers. The frame of the study was based on the five (5) districts of Madagali Local Government Area where two (2) were purposively selected for the study. A random selection of one village per each of the two districts was done to pick up two villages for the study. Fifteen alcoholic farmers were purposively selected from each of the two villages to make up thirty (30) farmers for the study. Structured questionnaire and interview schedule was employed to gather primary data. Among the results obtained from this study, it was found that, most of the alcoholic consuming farmers were male between the age of 31-45 years and they are all farmers. They practice mixed farming system and obtain their agricultural technology information through ADPs. Their average alcohol consumption is above five bottles per day and spends more than five hundred naira everyday. The result of the findings also shows that, most of the improved agricultural technology information communicated were very effective and perceived  modern storage, planting techniques, diseases and pests management, use of fertilizer etc as being effective, but adoption varies. The effects of alcohol on these farmers made them to have low adoption to modern agricultural technology information consequently led to low agricultural production in the study area. Hence, an orientation exercise should be organised intensively to make them be aware of the dangers associated with alcohol consumption on agricultural productivity and their health situations.

Key words: Agricultural Technology Information, Alcohol Consumption, Performance and Small Scale