Perceptions of Constraints Affecting Adoption of Women-in-Agriculture Programme Technologies in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

The study focused on constraints affecting the adoption ofinnovative agricultural technologies disseminated by theWomen-in-Agriculture (WIA) unit of the Akwa Ibom AgriculturalDevelopment Programme (AKADEP) to its women clientele.The study also ascertained the awareness and adoption levelsof such introduced technologies. Findings revealed that respondentswere aware of 61.9% of introduced technologies,while only 33.3% were fully adopted. The study also identifiedseven factors responsible for the non-adoption of womenfarmers’ related technologies. The three highest ranking constrainingfactors were revealed as; high cost of inputs, lowincome level of women farmers and lack of regular contactwith WIA extension agents. Reasons have been proffered forthe relatively low technologies’ adoption levels. Recommendationshave also been made to enhance the technologyadoption level. These include the necessity to introduce onlysocio- economically and culturally compatible technologies toWIA clientele, a wholesale focus on follow-up activities afterinitial group based technology introduction activities, and theattachment of a credit scheme to the WIA program.