ABSTRACT

The study assessed the effect of gender on the adoption of improved ginger production technologies in South-East Nigeria. Multi-stage and proportionate sampling techniques were used to select a sample size of 250 ginger farmers (125 males and 125 females). Data were collected with structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as means, percentages; and inferential statistics such as multiple regression model, F-test (Chow’s seminal test) and Z-test. Results indicated that mean ages of the ginger farmers were 49.59 years for males and 45.21 years for females. Majority (71%) of the females and 53.60% of the male farmers had no access to extension contact. Mean farming experiences were 7.8 years (males) and 5.38 years (females), with farm sizes of 1.30 hectares for males and 0.69 hectares for their female counterparts. Majority (99.20%) of the males and 97.60% of the female farmers were educated, while mean annual farm income was ₦971,436.656 for males and ₦513012.8 for the female farmers. The female farmers played more predominant role in ginger production than the male farmers, as they were prominent in 11 out of the 15 production activities listed, while the men were prominent in only 4 activities. Results further showed that the male farmers had greater access ( =2.568) and greater control ( =2.464) over production resources than their female counterparts ( =0.992) and control ( =1.816) over same resources. However, both male ( =2.736) and female ( =2.608) ginger farmers were fully involved in decision making in ginger production on a 3-point graphic rating scale. Results showed that 16 out of 22 innovations disseminated to the ginger farmers were highly adopted by the male respondents, while 14 were highly adopted by their female counterparts. Identified constraints to the adoption of improved ginger production technologies were cost of the technology, frequent price fluctuations of ginger, inadequate credit, inadequate storage facilities, poor extension contacts, and unavailability of land, amongst others. The result of multiple regression analysis showed that the coefficients for access to land, years of experience, number of trainings received, occupational level, and quantity of ginger produced significantly influenced adoption by the male farmers, whereas coefficients for marital status, educational level, frequency of cooperative activities, access to land, quantity of ginger produced, and number of man-days used were statistically significant at 5% level for the females, indicating that selected socio-economic factors significantly influenced the adoption of improved production technologies by male and female farmers. Hence, the null hypothesis (H0₁) was rejected. The study found significant differences in adoption of improved ginger production technologies between male and female ginger farmers with a Z-value of 2.85 at 5% level implying that the male farmers performed better than their female counterparts in terms of adoption. Therefore, the null hypothesis (H0₃) was rejected. The study concluded that gender significantly influenced the adoption of improved ginger production technologies in South-East Nigeria. The study recommended, among others, that the NRCRI and other agencies interested in promoting ginger production should target female farmers and concentrate on the poorly adopted production technologies. Also, both male and female farmers should use the power of their cooperatives to influence ginger prices hence avoiding glut in order to stabilize the prices of their produce at profit margin.