Analysis of Factors Influencing Improved Sorghum Production Technologies among Women Farmers in Southern Yobe, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was on the challenges for improved sorghum production among women farmers in southern Yobe, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to examine the socio demographic characteristics of the respondents, determine factors influencing the adoption of improved sorghum production by respondents and make recommendations on ways to encourage improved sorghum production. Data for the study were obtained from 120 respondents selected through multistage random sampling procedure. Descriptive statistical techniques such as frequency distribution and percentages were used for the analysis. Similarly, inferential statistical technique namely logit regression analysis was used to establish relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and challenges for improved sorghum production. The study revealed that majority (91.5%) of the respondents fell within the age bracket of 50 years and below. It is also evident from the study that 65.8% of the respondents were married and 67.4% had one form of education or the other, while 71.6% had less than 1 hectare as farm land. The result further showed that farm size, age of respondents, educational level, cost of technology, extension contact, access to credit and expected benefit from use of improved production technologies are the factors that significantly influenced improved sorghum production among women farmers in the study area. It is recommended that policies should be formulated to take advantage of the factors that positively influence women’s improved production of sorghum and to mitigate the negative ones.

Key words: Challenges, Sorghum production, Women farmers, Yobe, Technology