Technology adoption among cocoa farmers in Nigeria: what drives farmers’ decisions?

ABSTRACT Adoption of improved agricultural technologies is an important component for improvement in agricultural productivity especially in developing countries. This study assessed the adoption level and factors influencing farmers’ decisions to adopt five improved agricultural technologies in Ondo State, Nigeria using cross-sectional data on 149 cocoa farmers. A Multivariate Probit model was specified to account for the simultaneous decision-making process farmers undergo to maximize utility given their budget constraint. Most of the farmers were male, old and cultivated an average of 7 hectares of cocoa. Most of them had adopted improved cocoa varieties (84.6%) and capsid control was the least adopted (53.0%) among the respondents. The MVP model results show that cocoa farmers that belong to cooperative groups have a greater likelihood of adopting all five technologies. Older farmers are more likely to adopt improved cocoa varieties, and those with large farms have a greater likelihood of adopting recommended spacing. Credit access, education and extension contact positively influence improved cocoa varieties’ adoption, while household size negatively influences it. The study recommends the improvement of institutional capacities especially in the areas of credit provision and extension service delivery in order to promote technology adoption for increased agricultural productivity in Nigeria.