NIGERIAN AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL

ISSN: 0300-368X
Volume 49 Number 1, April 2018. Pp.65-70
Available online at: http://www.ajol.info/index.php/naj

ADOPTION OF IMPROVED SOYBEAN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES IN BENUE

STATE, NIGERIA
*Adebayo, C.O., Coker, A.A. and Tsavhemba, S.
Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Federal University of Technology, Minna,
Nigeria
*corresponding author e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] or
[email protected]

ABSTRACT
Lack of appropriate technologies uptake among small scale farmers have always led to low
productivity. This study examined the adoption of improved soybean production technologies by
farmers in Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Data for the study were collected
through the use of structured questionnaires from purposive randomly selected sample of 73
soybeans farmers. Descriptive statistics and Tobit regression model were used to analyze the data.
The mean age of soybeans farmers was 41 years with an average farm experience of 17 years;
access to credit and extension contact were relatively low. Tobit analysis results shows that household
size, education, experience, membership of association, extension contact and output significantly
affected farmers’ decision to adopt improved soybean production technologies. The major
constraints identified were costly technologies and lack of extension services. It was therefore
recommended that farmers should make their cooperative societies more viable, strong and
proactive so that their resources could be harnessed and adequately utilized for higher productivity.

Keywords: Adoption, productivity, technologies and Tobit model

Introduction Ayoola, 2006). Soya bean is consumed as food

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a leguminous (milk), used for production of edible oil, animal
crop that grows in tropical, sub-tropical and feeds, edible protein and for industrial purposes
temperate climates Adeniyan and Ayoola, (Abdullahi, 2004). One of the industrial uses of
(2006). It is originated from the People's soybeans is in the production of biofuel.
Republic of China, other major producing According to Hill et al; (2006), an acre of
countries include; U.S.A, Brazil and Argentina soybeans could yield 66 gallons of biodiesel
(Misari and Idowu, 1995). It was introduced to compared to 84 gallons for sunflower and over
Nigeria in 1908 (Misari and Idowu, 1995). The 600 gallons of palm oil. Research efforts to
world experienced shortage of oil seeds improve the existing Soybean varieties, to
immediately after the World War II which expand and increase production in Nigeria were
accelerated the drive for increased Soya bean initiated in different research institutes from the
production in Nigeria (Dugje et al., 2006). mid 1970’s (Misari and Idowu, 1995). Notably
Furthermore, Soya bean cultivation in Nigeria among the various research institutes is the
has expanded as a result of its nutritive, economic International Institute for Tropical Agriculture
and diverse domestic usage. The crop can be (IITA) by initiating research work on Soya bean
grown successfully in many states of Nigeria by in the 1970’s and has made substantial effort to
the use of low agricultural inputs (Idrisa, 2009). improve the output of the crop (Abdullahi,
In the traditional Soya bean growing areas, it is 2004). The good varieties of soybean produced
most commonly intercropped with cereal crops in Nigeria includes, TGX1448-2E, TGX1904-
like maize, sorghum and millet (Adeniyan and 6F, TGX1830-2E; and TG X 1485-2E-ID
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Nigerian Agricultural Journal Vol. 49, No. 1, April 2018
(Adeniyan and Ayoola, 2006). Idrisa (2009) Methodology
reported that, with the development of improved This study adopted a random and purposive
varieties, commercial production of soybean has sampling technique to select ten (10) villages in
expanded beyond its “traditional home” (Benue, Tarka Local Government Area (LGA) based on
Kaduna, Niger and Plateau) states. It is now their performance in soybean production. The
produced in other states, such as Bauchi, Borno, selected villages in the local government area are;
Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Mbaikyo, Mbanonghul, Mbajir, Mbaigba,
Nassarawa, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara and Mbaichoghul, Mbayia, Mbanyagber, Mbabanyi,
Federal Capital Territory. Improved technology Mbatahar, Mbampen. A total of seventy three
is the systematic application of collective (73) questionnaires were administered to seven
resources to solution of problems through the (7) respondents that were randomly selected from
assertion of control over nature and all kinds each of the ten (10) villages. Primary data were
of human processes (Roggers, 1993). This collected for this study with the aid of structured
underlies the reason for the use of improved questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and Tobit
technology in the development of agricultural regression model were used for the analysis of the
resources to make a better living. Dugje et al; objectives of the study. Tobit regression model
(2006) highlighted the agronomic practices was developed for censored data to take care of
recommended for soybean production in qualitative difference between zero and
Nigeria to include; site selection, land continuous observations (Shwarze, 2004). Tobit
preparation, planting time, spacing and seed model is appropriate in studying decisions where
rate, fertilizer application, weed control, pest and error terms are truncated or censored (McDonald
disease control, harvest and storage. Yet the and Moffit, 1980). The advantage of the Tobit
adoption of the recommended practices for model over the dichotomous choice models such
production and management technologies for as the probit model by Finney (1971) and logit
soybean production is relatively low (Ani and model by Aldrich and Nelson (1984) is that it
Undiandeye, 2001). Therefore, it was found permits determining the intensity of use of
imperative to examine the adoption of technology once adoption has taken place. The
improved soybean production technologies Tobit model in case of censoring at zero can be
among soybean farmers in Tarka Local expressed as:
Government Area of Benue State. The Yi*=βXi+µi………………………………………
technologies and management practices ……………………….…….. (i)
recommended to farmers, though technically Yi=max(0,Yi*)…………………………………
feasible may not be easily utilized due to ………………………………. (ii)
resources restriction, low technologies pay off The implicit form of regression is given by:
and inconsistency in terms of government Yi=f(X1,X2,X3,X4,X5,X6,X7,X8+
programmes and policies and level of mental X9+µ)…………..…………………………. (iii)
intellectual development of farmers. These Yi=α+b1X1+b2X2+b3X3+b4X4+b5X5+b6X6+b7X7+
factors may prevent farmers from adopting these b8X8+ b9X9+µ) ………… (iv)
technologies in totality leading to a wide gap Where Yi = the observed censored variable
between what farmers are obtaining from field (adoption index=no. of technologies
and those that are potentially possible under adopted/total no. of available technologies).
improved condition (Adekoya and Babaleye, Production technologies considered were: use of
2009). As a result of limited technology uptake, improved seed, tractor use, recommended
productivity - a measure of output per hectare has spacing (75cm x 20-30), and application of
been found to be very low. Therefore, this fertilizer at 200kg/ha, use of herbicides, storage
research provided answers to the following chemicals, thinning, seed rate of 50-70kg/ha and
questions: (i) what are the socio-economic timely planting (may/June). The independent
characteristics of soybeans farmers; (ii) what are variables used in the analysis are shown in Table
the factors affecting adoption of improved 1.
production technologies and (iii) what are the
constraints associated with adoption of Results and Discussion
production technologies among soybeans farmers Table 1shows that the average age of soybean
in the study? farmers was about 41 years, an indication that
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Nigerian Agricultural Journal Vol. 49, No. 1, April 2018
majority of respondents are in their active stage. respondents were experienced. It was
It was hypothesized that age which is a hypothesized that experience will be positively or
continuous variable is negatively related to negatively related with adoption Agwu (2004)
adoption. Results from a study by Baidu-Forson, and Okunade (2006). Further descriptive analysis
(1999) showed that age had no significant effect as shown in Table1, indicated that majority of
on the adoption of new technologies. The average respondents belonged to an
household size of respondents was 9.3; it was association/cooperative organization, it is
hypothesized to be positively related to adoption assumed that membership of association is
of production technologies.The average number positively related to adoption of production
of years spent in school by the respondents was technologies. Number of contacts with extension
about 13 years, this is an indication that majority agents was less than 1, an indication that most
of respondents had at least a secondary school farmers had not been visited by them. Access to
education. The level of education is expected to credit was low as majority (66%) had no access
be positively related to adoption of innovations. to any form of credit. The average output was
The mean years of experience in soybean farming 1,970kg per respondents while the average farm
was about 17, this means that majority of distance was about 2 km.

Table 1: Description of variables used in the Analysis of Adoption of Soybean Production

Technologies
Independent variables Variable definition Expected sign Mean
Age (X1) Farmers age in years - 41.36
Household size (X2) Number of people in a household + 9.32
Education (X3) Number of years spent in school + 12.72
Experience (X4) Number of years in soybean farming + 16.80
Membership of ass.(X5) Number of associations a farmer belongs to. 0.69
Extension contact (X6) Number of contacts with extension agents. + 0.58
Access to credit (X7) Access to credit (dummy) 0.34
Output (X8) Value of output in kilogram + 1970.54
Farm distance (X9) Distance of farm from home of farmers + 2.45

Before the data set was subjected to analysis Level of Education: Table 2 shows that the level
using stata 11, a test of normality and of education of respondents was very important
heteroskedacity (Breusch-Pagan test) was carried factor (P<0.01) that influence the adoption of
out. There was no multicollinearity (VIF=1.48) improved soybean production technologies in the
and heteroskedacity (prob>chi2 =0.0246). The study area. The positive and significant
maximum likelihood estimates for the Tobit relationship between level of education and
model are shown on Table 2. It may be noted that adoption agrees with Awe (1999) and Idrisa et al;
that the estimated model has explanatory power (2012).
with a likelihood ratio of 39.42 and was Experience: the coefficient of farming
significant at 1% level. The empirical results of experience was found to be significant at 5% in
the Tobit indicate that two of the nine variables influencing adoption of improved soybean
tested had the expected signs. However, six production technologies. This is expected
variables- household size, education, experience, because more experienced farmers may be more
membership of association, extension contact and knowledgeable in agricultural innovations.
output significantly affect farmers’ decision to Membership of Associations/cooperatives:
adopt improved soybean production technologies This had a positive and significant relationship
in the study area. with farmers’ adoption of improved production
Household size: Results in Table 2 revealed a technologies at 1% level of probability. This is in
negative and significant (P<0.05) relationship agreement with a priori expectation. This is
between household size and extent of adoption of because as they exchange their experiences and
soybean production technologies. This result is ideas, they learn from each other and get a lot of
not in agreement with that of Idrisa et al; (2012).
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Nigerian Agricultural Journal Vol. 49, No. 1, April 2018
 useful information which compares favorably technologies among cocoa farming households in
with the findings of Ofuoku et al; (2011) Oyo state, Nigeria and Idrisa et al; (2012);
Extension contact: Contact between farmers and adoption of soybean improved seed technologies
extension agents were positively and in Borno state, Nigeria.
significantly influence the extent of adoption of Output: the results further revealed a positive
improved soybean production technologies at 5% and significant relationship between output of
level. This is expected as the more extension soybean and adoption of improved technologies.
contacts determines the quality and quantity of The result was significant at 1% level of
information that farmers are likely to obtain on probability (Table 2). This is expected because
available technologies and their potential according to Idrisa et al; (2012); crop varieties
benefits. The result agrees with the findings of that have high capacity to yield high stands a
Lawal and Oluyole (2008) in their study on the better chance of being adopted as well as being
adoption of research results and agricultural used intensively by farmers.

Table 2: Maximum Likelihood Estimates of the Tobit Model

Parameter Coefficient T-Value
Constant 0.2405 1.72*
Age (X1) -0.0004 -0.18
Household Size (X2) -0.1320 -1.93*
Education (X3) 0.0187 2.90***
Experience (X4) 0.0087 2.24**
Membership of ass. (X5) 0.1427 2.54***
Extension contact (X6) 0.1230 2.35**
Access to credit (X7) 0.0129 0.23
Output (X8) 0.00005 2.65***
Farm distance (X9) -0.01285 -1.12
VIF =1.48
Prob>chi2 =0.0246
*, **, *** Significant @ 10%, 5% and 1% and log likelihood ratio= 39.42; Computed from Field
Data, 2013

Constraints associated with adoption of implies that adoption level of respondents could be
improved soybean production Technologies affected negatively. Constraints of costly
Table 3 shows the constraints limiting adoption of technology were also one of the major factors
improved soybean production technologies, affecting the respondents; this is in agreement with
notable among the constraints was costly the findings of Oriole (2004). The findings also
technology (47.95%), small farm size (27.40%), stressed that unless credit facility are provided to
and lack of extension services (36.99%). Poor small scale farmers, majority of them will
extension services among the respondents is in seriously be handicapped in adoption of new and
agreement with the findings of Tiwari (2010), this profitable farm technologies.

Table 3: Constraints to Adoption of Improved Soybean production

Constraints Frequency * Percentage (%)
Small farm size 20 27.40
Small house hold size 11 15.07
Costly 35 47.95
Lack of extension visits 27 36.99
No co-operation among farmers 12 16.44
Sources: Field Survey, (2013)

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Conclusion Ani, A. O. and Undiandeye, U. C. (2001).
It can be concluded from the study that the Assessment of farmer’s adoption of improved
decision of a farmer in the study area to adopt agricultural technologies in soya bean
soybean production technologies is dependent on production in Michika Local Government
the household size, level of education, farming Area of Adamawa state. Nigeria Journal of
experience, membership of association, extension Arid Agriculture, .1,107-11.
contact and output. Based on the findings of Awe, D.A. (1999). Soil fertility management
the study, the following recommendations were using organic fertilizers and low-external-
made: farmers should make their cooperative input techniques in South-western Nigeria.
societies more viable, strong and proactive so that Paper presented at a National Workshop on
their resources could be harnessed and adequately Soil Conservation and Soil Management for
utilized for higher productivity. Inadequate Sustainable Rural Development in Nigeria,
extension services was one of the major Ibadan 5th -7th November.
constraints identified, therefore, Non- Baidu-Forson, J. (1999). Factors influencing
governmental organizations, farmers group, and adoption of land-enhancing technology in the
cooperative societies should be more involved in Sahel: lessons from a case study in Niger.
the education and practical training techniques on Journal of Agricultural Economics, 20, 231-
the use of improved soybean production 239.
technologies. There is the need for more BNARDA (1998). Crops area and yield survey.
researches in the development of less expensive Report by Benue Agricultural and Rural
technologies locally by the agricultural research Development Authority (BNARDA) pp. 35.
institutes and private agro-input companies. Dugje, I. Y., Omoigui, L. O., Ekeleme, F.,
Brandyopadhyay, R., Kumar, P. R. &
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