Adoption of Snail Production Technologies by Farmers in Onicha Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

Adoption of snail production technologies by farmers in Onicha L.G.A of Ebonyi State, Nigeria, was studied. Percentage response and frequency distribution were used to address objective I, part of 2 and 3, while part of objective 2 was addressed using logit model analysis. Multi stage random sampling technique was used to select 100 farmers from 20 villages. Information for the study was collected from primary and secondary sources. The results showed that 80% of the respondents were above the age of 50-years, while the least (2%) were less than 30-years. 78% of the sampled famers had one form or the other of formal education, while 22% had no formal education. 59% of the respondents had household size of 6-8 persons, while least, 20%; 1-5 persons. Nevertheless, 94% of the respondents had no access to credit and 6% had access. On adoption of technology, 60% of respondents were high adopters, while 40%; low adopters. Logit model result of rate of adoption of snail production technologies revealed that the coefficients of age of the farmer and educational level were positive and significant at 1% and 5% probability level respectively, while the coefficients of credit and extension contacts were negatively signed. The constraints to snailry enterprise were; poor access to credit (80%), slow rate of snail growth (70%), high mortality (60%), pest problem (50%), theft problem (50%), high cost of building material (50%) and inadequate information (60%). Enhance farmers’ access to credit and use of wire gauge to ward off theft and predators were among the recommendations proffered the reasercher.