Factors influencing the low adoption of new agricultural technologies among small holder farmers in Kasodo sub county Pallisa district.

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the factors leading to the low adoption of the new agricultural technologies among small holder farmers in Kasodo sub-County Pallisa district. The study was based on the following objectives; to determine how extension services influence the low adoption of the new agricultural technology in Kasodo sub-county, to establish how credit facilities influence the low adoption of new agricultural technologies in Kasodo sub-County, to examine the influence of market facilities on the low adoption of new agricultural technologies in Kasodo sub-county. The study adopted a descriptive research design which included both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The target population consisted of 30 small holder farmers from 6 villages. Interviews and questionnaires were used during data collection, data was analysed by use of descriptive and inferential statistics and presented in graphs and tables. Results of the study were; credit facilities do not influence adoption of the technologies among smallholder farmers, extension services influence the adoption of new agricultural technologies, market for the products influence the adoption of new agricultural technologies. The study had the following conclusions; Capital and credit facilities had no significant association on the adoption of agricultural technology. This implies that an increase in capital and credit facilities does not result to higher rate of agricultural technology adoption. Results also indicated that extension service is significant in the adoption of new technologies implying that the more extension services are conducted the likely the new technologies will be adopted, there was a positive association between market activities and conditions and adoption of agricultural technology. This implies that market activities influence the adoption of technology. Results revealed that market availability has a positive and significant relationship on the adoption of agricultural technology. The association between these two variables was marginally weak an indication of marketability of farmers’ products not being effective as a result of poor infrastructure. The following recommendations were made; It is imperative for policy makers to ensure that a wider spectrum of smallholders are able to have access to credit in order to improve their adoption level of agricultural technology, Developers of new agricultural technology should try to understand the farmers need as well as their ability to adopt technology in order to develop technology that will suit them, there is need to increase access to credit facilities by the government to the farmers, The government should also subsidise the prices of farm implements and equipment so that they are easily accessed by the farmers, needs assessment should be carried out by the extension workers before introducing new technologies so that they bring technologies that suit farmers requirements.