ABSTRACT

Improved sweet potato production technologies have been developed and disseminated to farmers to ensure increases in sweet potato production. The purpose of this study was to compare the adoption of improved sweet potato production technologies in Ikwuano and Umuahia North L.G.As. Specific objectives were to compare the socio-economic characteristics, level of adoption, factors influencing adoption as well as the problems militating against the adoption of improved sweet potato production technologies by farmers in Jkwuano and Umuahia North L.G.A. sixty sweet potato farmers were randomly selected per L.G.A. In all, 120 sweet potato farmers were used for the study. Descriptive analytical tools such as percentages, frequencies, means, t-test and multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. Mean years of sweet potato farming experience in Ikwuano L.G.A was 5.25 while in Umuahia North L.G.A., it was 4.67 years. The mean extension contact with farmers in Ikwuano L.G.A per month was once, whereas in Umuahia North L.GA, it was 2. the mea farm size per farmer in Ikwuano L.G.A was 3.69ha while in Umuahia North L.G.A, it was 2.84ha. There was a significant difference between the level of adoption of improved sweet potato production technologies by farmers in Ikwuano and Umuahia North L.G.As. Level of frrners' adoption of improved sweet potato production technologies was higher for most of the improved technologies in Umuahia North than in Ikwuano L.G.A. Age, gender, household size, and level of income were significant determinants of adoption of improved sweet potato production technologies in Ikwuano L.G.A. On the other hand, age, farming experience and level of income were the determinants of adoption of the improved technologies in Umuahia North L.G.A. constraints to adoption were lack of fertilizer, poor extension contact, lack of fund, lack of chemicals, old age, etc. it was recommended that government should concentrate more efforts at making extension service more erective so that innovations can be disseminated more efficiently: Also, since age was found to be inversely significant to adoption, young fernier groups like the YFC, ClAP, youth. organizations should be encouraged by government and other concerned agencies so that level of adoption of improved technologies can increased.