Social Capital and Adoption of Cassava Innovation among Rural Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas, thoughts and methodologies that results in the introduction of new and better ways of offering goods and services; while social capital incorporates the collective relationships that help people to get along with each other and act more effectively individually and within a group. Amidst the various technical, institutional and socio-economic constraints to Cassava production in Nigeria, adoption of innovative approaches within the farmers groups’ is expected to improve the gross margin and profitability of Cassava production amongst rural Cassava farmers. The study analyzed the effect of social capital on adoption of Cassava innovation among rural Cassava farmers in Abia state, Nigeria. Data for the study was analyzed with descriptive statics, logistic regression and correlation matrix. Results from the analysis shows that adoption of Cassava innovation increases as the rural farmers grew older. Evaluation from the socio capital indices shows that the higher the number of days the Cassava farmers belonging to their respective social institutions/groups’ claimed to have worked for their social institutions/group, the more the farmers adopt improved Cassava cultivation and processing methodologies. Result from the logistic regression model shows that Age of the rural farmers, Education level, Density of Membership Index, Decision Making Index and Meeting attendance Index were the significant variables influencing adoption of Cassava innovation among the rural Cassava farmers in the study area. High cost of innovation technologies, difficulty in operation and instability in government policies were the major constraints to the adoption of improved Cassava innovation among the rural farmers in Abia State, Nigeria. It is recommended that policies be directed to the development and improvement of various social institutions/cooperative societies in Nigeria; that would enhance rural farmer’s access to productive farm resources, especially information, credit and labour resource, so as to achieve her farming objectives.

Keywords

• Social Capital
• Cassava Adoption
• Rural Households
• Abia State Nigeria

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