Abstract

The study examined farmers? awareness and utilisation of cassava production technologies in Imo State, Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling procedure was used to select one hundred and twenty (120) cassava farmers. Data for the study were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics such as: frequency counts, mean scores and percentages and Pearson product moment correlation analysis (PPMC). The result reveal that 60.0% of the respondents were females, 55% were married with mean household size and farm size of 4.3 persons and 1.3 hectares respectively, while 45.83% had monthly contact with extension. Awareness was high (80.83%) among respondents and they utilised land preparation and ridge/mound making (X =2.8), improved cassava cuttings, fertilizer application and weeding at intervals (X =2.7), time of harvest(X =2.6), while pest and disease control and planting date and spacing had mean ratings of 2.4 respectively. The utilisation index of cassava production technologies was of 86.7%. The result of PPMC analysis (r=1.02) shows there was no significant difference between the farmers? levels of awareness and utilisation cassava production technologies in the study area. Increased extension contacts, farmers? access to and subsidy on farm inputs were advocated for effective utilisation of cassava production technologies in the study area

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