By Ochiaka, Joseph Sunday
This study was carried to find the determinants of adoption of modern agroforestry technologies among ADP contact farmers in Enugu State Nigeria. 360 ADP contact farmers constituted the sample of the study. A-120 item structured questionnaire validated by three experts was used to collect data for the study. The Cronbach Alpha method was used to test the internal consistency of the instrument. The weighted mean, percentages, and multiple regression were used to analyse data that answered the research questions, while t-test statistic and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA ) were used to test the hypotheses. The socioeconomic characteristics of contact farmers that were determinants of adoption of the technologies were gender, experience of the farmers with agricultural extension workers,educational qualification and frequency of visit of agricultural extension workers. Agricultural extension teaching methods identified as determinants were – farm/home visits, group discussion, circle meetings, exhibition and conducted tours .agroforestry inputs identified as determinants were improved tree seedlings, modern beehives, vertiver grasses and organic/inorganic fertilizers. Environmental factors identified as determinants were rainfall, sunlight, temperature, fertility status of the soil, topography, soil erosion drought, pests and diseases. The study equally revealed that there is no significant difference between the mean responses of male and female ADP contact farmers on stages of adoption of the technologies . The study found that there is no significant difference in the mean responses of literate and non-literate contact farmers on the adoption of modern agroforestry technologies. The study found that the environmental factors such as rainfall, temperature, soil fertility determined the adoption of modern agroforestry technologies in Awgu, Enugu and Nsukka agricultural zones of Enugu state. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made among which include that; the educational qualifications of agricultural extension agents of the state ADP should be raised to a minimum of a University degree in Agricultural Extension/Education or related discipline. Contact farmers should be involved both in designing, planning and execution of modern agroforestry technologies, so that their socio-economic characteristics will be taken into consideration. There should be capacity building for agricultural extension workers particularly in educational methodology. Government, non-governmental organizations, donor agencies should subsidize agroforestry inputs, while communities, schools and private individuals should establish tree nurseries. Governments and non governmental organization should invest in agroforestry researches which will benefit the society.