ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the Small holder oil palm (Elaeis Guineensis) project in Abia State of Nigeria. Data were randomly collected from 200 farmers in the three agricultural zones, using the stratified random sampling techniques. The regression model was used to assess the determinants of the adoption level of oil palm technologies. The technologies examined in this study were Improved oil i.aIm variety (Teneral), fertilizer, herbicide, Insecticide, pruning and weeding. The land holdinq for oil palm is low. Palm oil production was about eleven metric tonne per hectare annually which was equally low, The findings revealed that 63% of the farmers adopted the new improved oil palm seed tenera, 55% of the farmers adopted the use of fertilizer while 16 and 24 percent adopted the use of the herbicides and insecticides respectively. However 91% of the farmers adopted pruning as a technology and 93% adopted weeding as a technology. Both pruning and weeding are consistent an.d compatible with the tradition of the study area. Findings further revealed that majority (67%) of the farmers who participated in the Small Holder Oil Palm Project were not aware of all the techniques because of the withdrawal of the extension arm of the project and the lack of interest by the unified extension workers who were inadequate in the study area. However, contact with extension was the most important factor that influenced adoption. Others include level of education, plant population, age and membership of cooperative society. It is was recommended that extension agents should be encouraged to disseminated oil palm technologies to farmers in their area of operation. More extension workers should be employed to cover the oil palm project. Oil palm farmers should be encouraged to form cooperatives societies in order to maximize the benefits. Credits should also he given to oil palm farmers to enable them buy herbicides, fertilizer and hire labour in order to improve yield and make oil palm farming a worthwhile venture.